The Resume in Nashville

As published in the Examiner.

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A resume is a one-page summary of one's work experience. It can be compared to fishing bait: the purpose is to land a specific fish - in this case the "fish" is actually an interview with a promising employer. A good resume contains career highlights, accomplishments, and relevant certifications. A good resume never contains derogatory information.

Length
In Nashville, employers generally like to see a one-page resume. A smart job seeker has a longer Curriculum Vitae (CV) and a summary of it - their resume - on hand at all times.


Custom Crafted Resumes:
Nashville employers like to see a resume that is tailored to the job they have open. Most hiring influences look at the average resume for about 15-20 seconds. In that time frame, it can be a difficult task to decipher whether a person's skills can transfer to the job at hand. The candidate should follow the steps below to make sure they stand out to the employer.

Format:
A resume should contain the job seeker's contact information. It should also have an objective,  a "career highlights" segment, as well as a place for education. These four categories are absolutely necessary. Depending on the candidate's profession, a section on certifications might also be necessary.

Contact information:
Name, address, phone number, and email address are the information generally called for here. Make sure that email addresses are of a professional nature.

Objective:
Since Nashville employers like to see a custom tailored resume, the job seeker should first craft a resume that has at least a paragraph-length space where the "Objective" is placed. Take a moment to match your objectives to key words from the job listing. In five minutes of work, you can easily make your resume give a hiring manager the impression that you and the company are a match made in heaven.

Certifications:
Some job seekers will have a section devoted to certifications held. This is a must in professions such as insurance or IT, where specific certifications might be mandatory for certain positions. If this section is needed, it should be placed near the top of the resume.

Career Highlights:
What should candidates put here? Accomplishments. Achievements. "Do-based" activities (what can the candidate do? etc.). Quantify and qualify. Answer these questions:
A) Why should the company hire you?
B) What value do you add?



Education:
Nashville employers verify education more than most - prepare accordingly.

If you graduated from a college or university, detail the graduating month and year. If you expect to graduate in the future, note the anticipated graduation date.

Do not indicate graduation dates for high school, as there is a potential for age-based discrimination.