Resume Writing Tips

When developing your resume, focus on skills, areas of expertise, certifications and specific accomplishments. The resume must convey how you can add value to the companies you are targeting. This can be accomplished by illustrating how you contributed to previous employers' or clients' fiscal health.

Identify Your Goal
Before you develop your resume, you must have a clear job target. Do some preliminary research - review job postings, see what types of positions are available and which companies are hiring, and get a good feel for the desired qualifications. This research will help you determine the skills and experience you should emphasize on your resume.

Summarize Your Key Qualifications
When constructing your resume, it is crucial to summarize your strengths and key qualifications in the top half of the first page. This can be accomplished with the Professional Profile and Areas of Expertise sections.

In reading this brief paragraph, a prospective employer or recruiter will immediately grasp the scope of your professional experience. Follow your profile section with an Areas of Expertise, a list of keywords pertinent to your career choice. In the case of the above candidate, the section might include the following terms:

The Areas of Expertise should highlight your specific skills and knowledge base. You should also include your industry certifications and licenses, such as CPA, CFA, and Series 7, 63 and/or 64.

Emphasize Your Accomplishments
The rest of the resume delves into your professional background. Under each employer, present a brief paragraph describing your basic job responsibilities, followed by a bulleted list of accomplishments. Show quantifiable results of your work. For example: