Trump up responsibilities in your resume
Maryann Haggerty

SINCE graduating from college a few years ago, Stacy Ochsman has worked as an executive assistant and as a household manager.

Be clear about the aim of your resume, counsels Cindy Morgan-Jaffe, director of a Career Studio. Is it for general networking or to apply to a specific job? "Employers have an expectation of the ‘ideal’ person for a specific job. Put yourself in their shoes—how big is the company, what is their mission, what might they be looking for in an employee?’’

She says: "The more you know about the type of position you are applying for, the more you want to highlight the skills that are appropriate. Highlight the responsibilities you were given in the work you have done.’’ For instance, she asked, ``What could be more responsible than taking care of children?’’

Ochsman’s resume is largely a chronological retelling of her positions. That doesn’t showcase her skills. "The younger you are, the more you want your resume to focus on qualifications for a job and less on a chronology of work,’’ Morgan-Jaffe says.

She suggests pulling out major accomplishments into a separate section high in the resume, before the chronological listing, then trimming the verbiage in the individual job descriptions. "Unless the place you most recently worked is well known or carries cachet, you want to cull from your past experience—work or schooling—that highlights your strengths.’’

She also suggests that Ochsman add a statement of her objectives to the resume to clarify her job goal, which isn’t obvious now. "Help people know what you want, not just what you’ve done.’’

 LA Times - Washington Post