Resume Writing: First Things First...

Resume Writing - Before The First Keystroke

There is likely a good deal you don’t know about your chosen field. I say this even if you’re looking to make a lateral move. This is natural, as we all get comfortable in our jobs and get sloppy when it comes to keeping up to date with advancements in the industry. But once on the hunt for a new position, that sloppiness won’t get you very far.

Research Your Prospective Field

You should be able to answer the following questions before even beginning your resume writing:

• Is your chosen field growing or shrinking? Why is it doing either?
• How have changes in technology impacted your chosen field? And are you well abreast of those technological changes? Sidebar: If not, would a course or two, or a book read, get you up to speed?
• What do the experts predict this field will look like in three to five years? And what qualifications will be most valued in that future?
• Most importantly, do you have those qualifications?

If you need help answering these questions, get online, get to the library, get to school, and get on top of it.

Research Your Prospective Employer

Acme Manufacturing, with it’s generic products and cardboard cutout employees is gone like Mayberry--if it ever existed in the first place. In it’s stead are highly competitive niche players that have their own peculiar structures and workforce demands. Identify the company (or companies) you want to work for, then research and identify the workplace environment and business philosophies that drive that company. This kind of knowledge will empower you to craft an objective that exudes professionalism and insightfulness, and stand head and shoulders above those resume objectives that treat all prospective employers as just a stamp on a paycheck.

Start your research with the company’s web presence. Glean additional insight from archived news articles, Dun and Bradstreet (check your library) and analysts’ reports (if the company’s stock is publicly traded).

Research The Position You Want

If there’s a job opening, dig beyond the position posting. Do you know anyone who works for the company? Call and ask them for some insight. Check the Internet for anything that turns up relating to that position title–like who might have held that position in the past, and what duties it entailed. Try to find out who the new employee would report to; what has been his or her career focus and does he or she have any claims to fame that might be indicative of the measure placed on subordinates.

Much of detail of the job will remain elusive until the face-to-face interview, but any information you can uncover ahead of that will help you in targeting your resume. Otherwise, you may never make it to the face-to-face.

Bringing It All Together

By extrapolating from your research, you’re now in a position to paint a picture of the ideal candidate for the desired job. For example, if you’ve concluded that rapid technological changes are dramatically impacting your chosen industry, it makes sense that a hiring official in that industry will be most impressed by a candidate who is on top of that technology. Is that you? If so, you’ve just identified a strength you’ll want to play up on the resume. Is the company you have your eye on outsourcing more and more elements of their business oversees? If so, and if you’re proficient in a second language, you’ve just identified a second strength. Has the company just broken ground on a location in China? Then your participation in your university’s four-week cultural exchange program in Beijing might prove valuable.

By doing your homework on your prospective field, a specific company and a job title, you’re now in a position to begin resume writing with a targeted focus on matching your skill set to the needs of that company.

David Alan Carter is a former headhunter and the founder of Resume One of Cincinnati. For more than ten years, he personally crafted thousands of resumes for satisfied clients from all occupational walks of life. David has compiled a collection of real-life resume objectives, by profession, at ResumeObjective.info where you'll also find the lowdown on a few of the more popular resume building tools, at  Review of Resume Builders.