_Write a Resume - Continued

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In Steps Nine and Ten we learned how to write sentences and arrange them to have an impact that will get your resume noticed.

In Steps Eleven and Twelve we will learn how to incorporate your related experience and a short profile to get your resume remembered.

by ResumeEdge.com - The Net's Premier Resume Writing and Editing Service

Step Eleven: Related Qualifications

At the bottom of your resume, think about anything else that might qualify you for your job objective. This includes licenses, certifications, affiliations, and sometimes even interests if they truly relate. For instance, if you want a job in sports marketing, stating on your resume that you play tennis or are a triathlete would be an asset.

Step Twelve: Profile

Last but not least, write four or five sentences that give an overview of your qualifications. This profile, or qualifications summary, should be placed at the beginning of your resume. You can include some of your personal traits or special skills that might have been difficult to get across in your job descriptions. Here is a sample profile section for a computer systems technician:

• Experienced systems/network technician with significant communications and technical control experience.
• Focused and hard working; willing to go the extra mile for the customer.
• Skilled in troubleshooting complex problems by thinking outside the box.
• Possesses a high degree of professionalism and dedication to exceptional quality.
• Effective team player with outstanding communication and interpersonal skills.
• Current Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmentalized Information security clearance.

It is also acceptable to use a keyword summary like the one below to give a "quick and dirty" look at your qualifications:

• Hardware: IBM 360/370, S/390, 303X, 308X, ES-9000, Amdahl V6-II, V7, V8, 3705/3725, Honeywell 6000, PDP II, NOVA, Eclipse, Interdata 8/32, Wang OIS 115, 140, VS-80, VS-100, HP 3000, 9000, Vectra, IBM PC-AT, XT, and numerous other computers and mainframes.
• Languages: FORTRAN, PL/1, COBOL, BASIC, BAL (ALC), JCL, APL, DL/1, SQL, DS-2, HP-UX, and various PC-oriented software and support packages.
• Systems: DOS, OS, CICS, VSI/II, MVS, SVS, VM/CMS, IMS, MVT-II, MFT, POWER, TOTAL, DATANET-30, JES-2, JES-3, BTAM, QTAM, TCAM, VTAM, TSO, ACF, NCP, SNA, SAA, ESCON, SDLC, X-25, TCP/IP, UNIX, and TELNET.

This type of "laundry list" isn't very interesting for a human being to read, but a few recruiters in high-tech industries like this list of terms because it gives them a quick overview of an applicant's skills. You can use whichever style you prefer.

Busy recruiters spend as little as ten seconds deciding whether to read a resume from top to bottom. You will be lucky if the first third of your resume gets read, so make sure the information at the top entices the reader to read it all.

This profile section must be relevant to the type of job for which you are applying. It might be true that you are "compassionate," but will it help you get a job as a high-pressure salesperson? Write this profile from the perspective of a potential employer. What will convince this person to call you instead of someone else?

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