Resumes That Sizzle

By Mallory Chamberlin

Resumes That Sizzle draws on the extensive experiences of its author Mallory Chamberlin, Ph.D.

A professional resume developer, English professor, and CEO of his own consulting services company, Dr. Chamberlin taught business writing at the University of North Texas, including resume development. Over the last twenty years, he interviewed, assessed skills, and hired hundreds of job candidates. In addition, he revised and reworked their resumes for contract positions within Fortune 500 companies.

For the current tough and challenging job market, Dr. Chamberlin explains the HR process, how to ensure that your resume makes it to the pile of candidates to be interviewed, and the importance of key words and resume targeting. In addition, step-by-step instructions are provided to ensure each reader's resume is structured and written to land that all-important interview.

Strategies for interviews, cover letters, and thank-you notes are discussed. A free downloadable resume template is available.

Mallory Chamberlin, Ph.D. offers professional resume development service to job candidates nationwide.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Mallory Chamberlin
• Release date: Feb 24, 2012
• ISBN: 9781465728890

Mallory Chamberlin

Dr. Chamberlin currently wears many hats. He helps job candidates by preparing professional resumes, teaches students as an English professor at Dallas Baptist University and Brookhaven Community College, and is CEO of Corporate Documentation & Training, Inc., a consulting services firm. He brings academic and corporate experience to the challenges he faces. As a former Senior Vice President of another consulting services company, he managed and worked with many people, participated in teams, brainstormed, motivated, and led. For twenty years he taught English, literature, and business writing at North Texas State University, Denton.

Book preview

Resumes That Sizzle

Published by Corporate Documentation & Training, Inc.

at Smashwords

Copyright 2012; Second Edition 2013 Mallory Chamberlin

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This e-book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this e-book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Table of Contents

Introduction

A Note on Using This Guide

Chapter 1: Resumes Today

Chapter 2: The True You Resume

Chapter 3: The True You—Do You Really Want to Go There?

Chapter 4: The Interview

Chapter 5: The True You Layout

Chapter 6: The Cover Letter

Chapter 7: Thank-You Notes

Chapter 8: For the Graphic Artist or Creative You

Chapter 9: Curriculum Vitae

Chapter 10: Government KSAs

Chapter 11: Veterans

Appendix A: Common Job Search Sites

Appendix B: Strong Verbs Common to Resumes

Appendix C: Seventeen Resume Samples

Carol Anne Academic (Adjunct Faculty: Gifted/Talented Program)

Ann Accountant (Senior Production Accountant)

Shawn Marie Administrator (Administrative Assistant)

Ellen Assist (Executive Assistant)

Alice Assistant (Executive Assistant)

Calli Brand (Brand Management Media Specialist)

Dick Contractor (Vice President, Construction)

Martha Controller (Corporate Controller)

Betty Councelor (Senior Living Sales Counselor)

James Director (Regional Director)

Charles Financial (Chief Financial Officer)

Mackenzie Legal (Legal Secretary)

Arthur Lover (Art Consultant)

John MBA Candidate (MBA Candidate)

Kent Manager (Key Account Manager)

Bob Marketing (Vice President Sales and Marketing)

Virginia Sales (Sales Associate)

Appendix D: A Step-By-Step Guide—Resumes That Sizzle

Appendix E: The True You Jeremy Lin

A Note from the Author

Introduction

The brick walls are there to stop the people who don't want it badly enough. (Randy Pausch, The Last Lecture)

Some people have it easy. They are born with silver spoons in their mouths, or everything they touch seems to turn to gold. If you are one of these lucky few, this guide is not for you.

On the other hand, if you are like the vast majority of us who bump into brick walls regularly, who have to find ways over, under, around, or through those walls, then you will benefit from this guide. If the brick wall you now face is unemployment, changing jobs, or simply wanting to move up that ladder within your company to a higher salary or position, then this guide is for you.

You will be led through the process of developing a resume* that sizzles—your resume—that presents you in the best possible light, the true you. The problem most often is simply that we are the worst judges of ourselves: We are too proud, we are too humble, we suffer from poor self-image, or we actually believe those who claim, You can’t do it!

Think of yourself as a treasure chest waiting to be discovered…by your current employer, your prospective employer, by you yourself.

When you think about it, we are all treasure chests that we carry around wherever we go. They are filled with misconceptions, goals, fulfilled and unfulfilled dreams, dashed hopes, as well as aspirations, hopes, dreams, and many skills or talents waiting to be harnessed to make you successful in your next job…and your future.

I want you to throw out or at least push aside those myths and dig into your chest to discover the hidden treasures that lie within. In fact, by the time you are through, you will learn how to present your box wrapped in enticing packaging.

Who would have thought doing these things would help land that all-important goal of your resume: to land interviews!

Of course, what good is a resume that sizzles if the interview fizzles? For that reason this guide will give you pointers on the interview, cover letters, thank-you notes, and much more.

Take a moment to review the Table of Contents. You will see that you don’t have to read this guide from start to finish, or even all of it. There are chapters targeted to specific groups, e.g., the graphic artist or veteran. In addition, a resume template makes your development task easier. Check https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/137301. You will find the bonus template that comes with this e-book.

Enjoy the journey. Break down that brick wall. Land that interview. Win that job. And, of course, Carpe Diem! **

Mallory Chamberlin, Ph.D.

* The term resume or résumé: which is correct? This guide uses resume throughout. Résumé is often appropriate in academic, scientific, and research institution circles, but here I think it would be pedantic.

**Seize the Day!

A note on using this guide:

Select the blue highlighted text to move from one point to another in your book. Hopefully, your e-reader allows all of the links to work.

Read the chapters to understand what makes resumes sizzle today and what job-seeking strategies to use.

Study the sample resumes. The callouts reveal tips for writing your sizzling resume.

After studying the callouts, chose a sample resume to follow; perhaps one covers your industry.

Use any key words and phrasing that appear in the samples and adapt any bulleted descriptions to your specific needs.

Research your industry, your job descriptions, and the companies in which you are interested.

Chapter 1

Resumes Today

The old way works best in