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By
Claire Bush, Careerbuilder, Arizona Republic, March
26, 2006
Job
seekers, take note: Accuracy counts when creating
a resume.
A report released in 2005 by InfoLink Screening Services,
the nation's leading provider of employment background
checks, said that 14 percent of employees lied about
education on their resumes.
Last
month, the Resume Writers Council of Arizona sponsored
a human-resources forum with representatives from
state agencies, federal government, private corporations
and executive recruiters to discuss hiring practices.
"Every
hiring manager on the panel reported that the industries
they represent use background checks as a normal part
of the hiring process," said Kathy Sweeney, a conference
attendee and certified professional resume writer
and owner of Senior Executive Resumes in Phoenix.
Today's
hiring managers quickly can access information online,
too. Researching a potential hire with the use of
Internet search engines means that misrepresented
information about education or job history most likely
will be discovered.
Because
few job candidates have perfect educational or employment
backgrounds, the secret to creating an accurate and
powerful resume lies in accentuating strengths, said
Barbara Urlaub.
"Everyone's
work history is special, just as each person is special.
The purpose of a resume is to reflect an individual's
uniqueness in the best possible way," she said.
Here
are several ideas from career experts for fixing typical
trouble spots in a resume:
Incomplete
education. One of the biggest sticking points
on a resume can be lack of a college degree, or a
haphazard accumulation of college credits that led
nowhere. A sketchy educational background can send
up a red flag to potential employers that the job
candidate lacks perseverance.
In
this case, "don't list your high school diploma,"
Urlaub said. "Instead, stress what special skills
or attributes you have to offer."
Sweeney
said that if a traditional two- or four-year diploma
wasn't received, consider including specialized coursework
completed instead. "Focus on industry-related training
or online courses completed," she said.
Employment
gaps. A job seeker may have legitimate reasons
for lengthy gaps in paying employment. Staying home
to care for children, nursing an elderly relative
or attending school are acceptable.
One
way to portray these gaps in the most favorable light
is to select one or two skills gleaned during this
time, and in a few sentences, show where this will
add value to your potential as an employee. New mothers
must learn time management. Holding down a full courseload
teaches discipline. Caring for an ailing family member
signals a take-charge individual who can accept responsibility.
"A
stay-at-home mom, for instance, could focus on her
work experience prior to raising children, then stress
the skills she has learned from adapting to her new
household duties," Urlaub said.
Volunteer
work, church and civic duties all count toward acquiring
skill sets, too. Organizing a church fund drive, leading
a Brownie troop or forming a neighborhood recycling
club are valid accomplishments that can be listed.
Age.
Many employees at retirement age are anything but
ready for the rocking chair. Some are on their third,
fourth or even fifth careers.
Job
seekers with decades of experience should consider
carefully how to convey that information.
"When
I'm creating a resume for an executive, we normally
go back 20 years," Sweeney said.
Confusing
job titles. "Many employers, particularly large
corporations, assign titles that don't accurately
reflect duties involved," Sweeney said. If a job title
is longer than six or seven words, or is vague sounding,
chances are it will be hard for the potential employer
to figure out what you did.
Sweeney
cites the case of a resume prepared for a loan processor.
"Her job was to expedite paperwork so that loans could
get funded. However, her employer, a financial institution,
gave her the title of Home Specialist II. The challenge
was to present her with an accurate title that reflected
her job duties."
Sweeney listed the job as loan processor, and in the
same line inserted the proper job title.
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