(Computer and IT Professionals Edition) By Pamela Paterson · Pamela and thanks to me for bringing her into the classroom to provide valuable lessons that can be applied right away

Get the Job: Optimize Your Resume for the

Online Job Search (Computer and IT Professionals Edition)

By

Pamela Paterson

Complete book is available on Amazon.com: http://amzn.com/1482735504

Get the Job: Optimize Your Resume for the Online Job Search by Pamela Paterson

Copyright this edition © 2013 by Pamela Paterson

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, with the prior permission in writing of the copyright holder.

Although this book is intended to provide information that is helpful and accurate, there is no representation or warranty, express or implied, of any kind regarding it. There is no guarantee regarding the information’s currency or accuracy, or the currency or accuracy of information contained on sites to which this book provides links. This book may be used for information purposes only and should expert advice be needed, the services of a qualified professional should be obtained. The author and the publisher disclaims all liability of any kind whatsoever arising out of your use of, or inability to use, this information.

ISBN-13: 978-1482735505

Writer Types Inc., Toronto, Canada, www.writertypes.com

Edited by Tracey Grozier and Robert Long

Images by Carla Austin



What People Are Saying

“A Tremendous Help”“I haven’t written a resume since I finished school 20 years ago. I had added to itover the years, but when I found myself on the wrong side of a merger, my resumereally looked like it was 20 years old. Pamela's advice on what to emphasize, andhow to structure and lay out the resume to enable the key points to stand out was atremendous help. Following Pamela's tips, I had a modern, professional-lookingresume that I was very confident in sending out. In short order, I had calls andsubsequently contracts coming in.”

—T. Hendriks, Google Deployment Specialist

“A Piece of Gold”“This resume book is a piece of gold for job seekers. It is the first resume book Ihave found that actually provides practical tips that are easy to understand andfollow, and really work. Many resume books are unfortunately highly theoretical,and leave the job seeker in a cloud of confusion. Not so with Ms. Paterson's book,because as a natural writer and teacher, she has turned the book into a classroomand easily conveyed excellent tips in resume writing. She has provided an entiremethodology in resume writing that will greatly benefit job seekers.”

—C. Carajan, IT Manager

“A Fantastic Book”“This is a fantastic book. Pamela did a great job in making resume tips very easy tounderstand. Even people with no practical writing experience will be able to pickthis book up and use it to create an effective resume. As a senior staffing consultantwho helps clients and candidates, even I found useful tips that I can pass along tomy candidates.”

—J. Gibson, Staffing Consultant



“Clear Way of Communicating”“Pamela has a clear way of communicating information to people in a way thatmakes it immediately applicable to their needs. I have also asked her to present tomy students and clients on workshops related to resumes and job finding skills. Herknowledge and effectiveness in transferring it to others is wonderful, and she cantake subjects and make them come to life. Students often follow up with praise forPamela and thanks to me for bringing her into the classroom to provide valuablelessons that can be applied right away to the job search!”

—B. Aschwanden, President, Publishing Smarter

“Practical Tips and Real Life Experience”“I attended Pamela's webinar on resume writing with 15 of my graduating studentsand boy were we all happy we did! She shared a lot of practical tips and real lifeexperiences to bring home the points she was making. I was also very happy thatshe had her participants mail her their resumes in advance and she took the timeand effort to go through each resume and highlight the good, the bad and theugly—a great learning experience indeed.”

—S. Nene, Instructor, George Brown College

“Offered a Position That Was Perfect for Me”“I recently moved to a metropolitan area and was looking for employment. I hadvirtually no experience with job boards or recruiters. In a small town environment,my current resume format would have landed me an interview, but applying forjobs in a large highly competitive market meant that response to that version of myresume posted on major job boards was sporadic at best, resulting in opportunitiespresented to me that were not even relevant to my skill set. After meeting withPamela and revising my resume, I immediately posted the new version...andliterally within 3 hours I received two calls from recruiters about appropriateopportunities. The next day was spent fielding responses from more than 12recruiters for more than 15 positions—all of which were relevant to my skill set!Within 2 weeks I had interviews, and within 3 weeks was offered a position thatwas perfect for me. I received unsolicited comments from both interviewers andrecruiters as to the professionalism of my newly revised resume, and howimpressive it was. I credit Pamela for her insight into what works, what doesn’t,and what is needed to create a winning and effective resume.”

—P. Cruickshank, Technical Writer



i

ContentsChapter 1: About This Book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Who Should Read This Book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3A Book by an IT Professional for IT Professionals . . . . . . . . . . . . 3How Will This Book Get Me a Job? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Can’t I Just Use Resume Writing Software? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4Key Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5Next Steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Chapter 2: Learn the System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7Resume Writing Is a System. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9Resumes Are Pivotal to Getting a Job . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Know the Actual Purpose of a Resume . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Think of Yourself As a Product Looking for a Buyer . . . . . . . . . 10

You’re Interviewed If You’re Not Rejected . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11Impact of Online Job Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11Influence of Social Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Key Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11Next Steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12



ii | Pamela Paterson

Chapter 3: Create Layout and Design . . . . . . . . . . . . 13Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13Free Resume Templates Available . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15Why Layout and Design Matters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Doing It Yourself . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Easiest Way to Best Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16Read Good Resumes Before You Begin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Notice Patterns in Resumes You Like . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16


Problematic Design Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17Headers and Footers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Columns, Tables, and Text Boxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Graphics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Poor Text Alignment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Lack of White Space . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Too Much or Not Enough Color . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Inappropriate or Uncommon Fonts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20


Use a Chronological Format. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21Why Employers Like a Chronological Format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Pros and Cons of the Chronological Format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23


Resume Section: Header . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23Important Information to Include. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Pros and Cons of Including Your Address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Use a Professional Email Address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24


Resume Section: Objective (Optional). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25Important Information to Include. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Why Objective Sections Are Optional . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

When to Use an Objective Section. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Alternatives to the Objective Section. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26




Contents | iii

Resume Section: Career Summary (Optional). . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26Important Information to Include . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26

Alternatives to the Career Summary Section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27

Doing It Yourself . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27

Resume Section: Summary of Qualifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27Important Information to Include . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27

Why This Section Is Most Important . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28

Tailor the Summary of Qualifications Section to the Job. . . . . . .28


Resume Section: Computer and Technical Skills . . . . . . . . . . . 29Important Information to Include . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29

Get the Skills. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30

Organize Your Skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30

List Skills Separately for Keyword Searches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31

Verify Current Company and Tool Names. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31

When to Include Version Numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32

When to Include Level of Experience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32


Resume Section: Experience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33Important Information to Include . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33

Why the Experience Section Needs Your Best Effort . . . . . . . . . .33

Managing Job Titles—They Can Make or Break You . . . . . . . . . .33


Resume Section: Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35Important Information to Include . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35

Creating an Effective Education Section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35

Education Problems and How to Fix Them. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37


Optional Sections You May Include . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39List of Optional Sections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39

Hobbies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40

Volunteer Experience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40




iv | Pamela Paterson

Popular Writing Technique to Show Your Best Stuff . . . . . . . . 42Dump Your Load . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Add to Your Load Over Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Get More Ideas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Revise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Review for Accuracy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43



Chapter 4: Boost Your Content (Good Secrets to Know) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45Choose the Right Words. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Use Proven Facts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Show, Don’t Tell. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

Replace Weak and Vague Verbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Use the Correct Verb Tense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

Do Not Use “I” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

Avoid Jargon, Acronyms, and Abbreviations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

How to Select the Right Words. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51


Grab Your Audience and Keep Them . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53Write for Short Attention Spans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

Make Information Easy to Find . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

Do the Math. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

Appeal to Online Job Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54


Common Problems and How to Fix Them . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54Problem: Your Resume Doesn’t Match the Job Posting. . . . . . . 54

Problem: You Have Gaps in the Experience Section . . . . . . . . . 55

Problem: You Stayed Too Long at One Company . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

Problem: You Have Too Much Unrelated Experience . . . . . . . . . 59

Problem: Your Dates Are Hurting You . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60



Contents | v

Problem: You Don’t Have Any Brand Name Companies . . . . . . .61

Problem: You Are Labeled a “New Grad” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61

Problem: You Encounter Ageism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62

Problem: Your Resume Contains Discriminatory Information. . .63

Problem: You Are Shy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63


Page Length—How Long Should It Be . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65Page Length Debate. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65

Don’t Write a Biography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66


Be the Preferred Profile (Get a Good Impression). . . . . . . . . . . 67Show Your Values. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67

List Multiple Contract Renewals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67

Mention Promotions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68

Be More Than a Brain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68

Learn Project Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68

Be Results-Oriented . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69

Leave Your Purple Hair at Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69

Look Like the Locals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70


Common Sense Points Worth Saying. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71Follow the Employer’s Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71

Check Spelling and Grammar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71


Key Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

Next Steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

Chapter 5: Tailor Your Resume to Beat Online Job Systems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

Your Resume Is Not About You. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75Care About Other People’s Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75

Techniques to Find Out What Target Audiences Want . . . . . . . .76

Know Why the Job Is Available . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76



vi | Pamela Paterson

Be Like Them. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

Know the Company Type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77


Beating Online Job Systems—What You Need to Know . . . . . . 79Methods of Searching Resumes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

Optimize Your Resume for Online Job Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80

Prepare for the Human Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81


Using Social Media to Create an Online Presence . . . . . . . . . . 82LinkedIn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83

Twitter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84

Facebook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85

Blogs and Websites. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85


Fix Your Online Image. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86Doing It Yourself . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86


Chapter 6: Keep Your Resume on Top(Ahead of the Pack) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89Create Your Goals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92

Connect with Good People . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92Contact Associations and Groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92

Choose Successful People . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92

Get to Know the Rich and Famous . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93

Find a Mentor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93

Get Personal with Hiring Managers and Recruiters . . . . . . . . . . 93


Realize That Knowledge Is Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94Create a List of Qualifications for the Preferred Profile . . . . . . . 94

Collect Data About Prospective Employers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94



Contents | vii

Pay Attention to the News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95


Think and Act Creatively . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96See Connections Everywhere . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .96

Realize That New Hires Don’t Always Work Out . . . . . . . . . . . . . .96

Understand the Hiring Cycle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .96

Pay Attention to the Words You Use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .97


Common Sense Points Worth Saying. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97Pursue Multiple Opportunities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .97

Be Open . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .98

Know What You’re Good At . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .98

Get a Personality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .98

Show Appreciation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .99

Be Ethical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100

Doing It Yourself . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101

Key Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .101Next Steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .101

Chapter 7: Test and Release . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .103Approach to Testing and Releasing Your Resume . . . . . . . . .105

Understand the Power of Feedback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105

Use Criticism to Improve Your Resume . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105


Conduct Information Interviews . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .106Contact Experts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106

Dig Deep into Expert Knowledge. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106

Get a Free Resume Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107

Simulate On-the-Job Training. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107


Hone Your References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .108Getting LinkedIn Recommendations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109



viii | Pamela Paterson

Save Your References Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109

Groom Your References and Support Them . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109

Common Resume Problems and Strategies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110Your Resume Doesn’t Get Any Attention . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110

You Don’t Receive a Callback After the Initial Contact. . . . . . . 112

You’re Not Offered a Job After the Interview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113


Value Yourself . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114Doing It Yourself . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115

Key Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115

Next Steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115

Chapter 8: A Final Word . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117Congratulations, You Did It! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117Need More Help? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117

Appendix A: Strong Verbs for Resumes . . . . . . . . . . 119

Appendix B: Resume Checklist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123

Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125

Acknowledgements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127

About the Author . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131



1

1About This Book

Paul had been looking for a job for eight months. When he applied the resume writing techniques in this book, he

found a job in one week.

“Congratulations! You got the job.”

IntroductionPaul called me and asked for help with his resume. Paul was a documentation andusability professional who had been unemployed for eight months. He hadimpressive qualifications—a master's degree from a top university and workexperience with a prominent politician—but none of it helped him get a job.

I could see how the weight of unemployment was pushing Paul down. When Iextended my hand to meet him, Paul rose from his slouched position in the chair asif every move he made just required energy he didn't have. When he shook myhand, I felt depleted in that brief moment our palms met. He had nothing left.



2 | Pamela Paterson

Paul also had a major disability to deal with. He was in a car accident, which lefthim visually impaired. His eyes were very sensitive to the fluorescent light in thecoffee shop, which he handled by alternating between two pairs of glasses: on andoff, off and on.

Paul and I reviewed his resume with an eye toward positioning his skills in the bestpossible way for the market. His skills were present, but not obvious. He alsoneglected to include some relevant experience, that of working in the familyarchitectural firm creating technical documents, dismissing it with a wave of hishand. After our session, however, he decided to include it and many of the othersuggestions found in this book. I reviewed his new resume and made some smallsuggestions, which he appreciated. I could actually feel his new confidence andwished him the best, not knowing if I would ever hear from Paul again.

One week later, I heard from Paul. He was hired for a contract to write a technicalproposal for an architecture firm. They found his new resume online and wereimpressed with his qualifications. Paul sent me this email:

“I just wanted to let you know that I've just accepted a job as a proposal writer for an architecture firm. They called me last night after finding my resume on [Job board] and asked me to write a proposal for them. I delivered it this afternoon, they were impressed, and I'm already working on a proposal due next Tuesday…How's that for results for your resume and career strategy workshop! I didn't even have time to do the last round of editing.” —Paul

Paul's situation is common. No matter how qualified you are, you need to bepackaged the right way to get your resume noticed. This book shows you thetechniques you need to write effective resumes. These techniques are all part of theresume writing system.

In This ChapterThe topics discussed in this chapter are:

• Who Should Read This Book (page 3)

• A Book by an IT Professional for IT Professionals (page 3)

• How Will This Book Get Me a Job? (page 3)

• Can’t I Just Use Resume Writing Software? (page 4)



About This Book | 3

Who Should Read This BookThis book is written for computer and IT professionals, including administrators,architects, business analysts, documentation specialists, engineers, graphicdesigners, programmers, quality assurance testers, and technical supportspecialists. Specifically, this book provides proven solutions for problems such as:

• Lack of experience

• Employment gaps

• Unemployment or underemployment

• Inadequate skills or education

• Competition in the market

• Poor response by prospective employers

If you think you need to be a professional writer to write a great resume, thinkagain. You just need to be willing to do the work. This book presents the resumewriting system in an easy, step-by-step way. Additional templates and resources areavailable at www.beatresumesystems.com.

A Book by an IT Professional for IT ProfessionalsThis book is written by an IT professional for IT professionals. I have worked as atechnical writer, process and knowledge consultant, documentation projectmanager, and business analyst. I have worked alongside techies for over 15 years.

Over the years I’ve seen a lot of unemployed computer and IT professionals whoshould have had jobs. Most of the time, their resume—not their skills—was theproblem. They just didn’t have access to the resume writing system presented inthis book.

I developed this system by studying successful resume writing from all angles. Ihave presented the resume writing system to human resources employees and jobrecruiters (also called headhunters or agencies), and at several conferences andworkshops. I have taught this system to hundreds of people.

I have many, many success stories that people have sent to me. Every time I receiveone, I am absolutely overjoyed that another person has found a job.

How Will This Book Get Me a Job?I believe you will get the best results—in anything in your life—if you first studyand learn the system. Whether you are buying a car, choosing a university toattend, or getting a job, you need to learn the system.

Don’t just learn one piece or one perspective. Do your own research. Learn manyperspectives. Listen to many experts. Study the system like the future of your lifedepends on it, because it does.



4 | Pamela Paterson

I used this approach to create the resume writing system. I first created it for myselfbecause, as a consultant who is continually hired for contracts, I was “always”looking for a job. I wanted and needed an efficient, reliable approach that got mejobs quickly.

When colleagues in my professional association noticed how well this systemworked for me, they invited me to speak about it at workshops and conferences. Ibecame the association’s career and job coach. I taught the system to hundreds ofpeople in these venues, as well as in one-on-one mentoring.

I learned even more about this “resume system” when I was hired to work on ahuman resources project for a global financial company. The project entailedimplementing an online job system to manage the end-to-end hiring process, fromthe point at which candidates apply through to when they are hired.

This knowledge was invaluable. Over several months, I saw how these systems areconfigured in a variety of ways that are invisible to job candidates. These systemscan be incredibly robust and picky. If you don’t know how to write your resumeto expertly navigate through online job systems, then your resume may bedeleted without anyone even knowing you applied. Online job systems arediscussed in more detail in “Tailor Your Resume to Beat Online Job Systems” onpage 73.

As a professional writer, clients hire me as an expert to communicate messages andreach audiences. Since a great resume involves great writing, I loaded this bookfull of effective writing techniques you can use to create a professional resume.

How will this book get you a job? Every angle of the resume has been explored andpresented in the way you need to navigate through online systems and come out ontop.

Can’t I Just Use Resume Writing Software?I would love to tell you that all you need to do is buy resume writing software andyou will have an amazing resume. The problem is, I can’t. Resume writingsoftware is just too generic.

In addition, the software may not even have your exact job title, so you must beginusing a template that is not optimal for you. These templates may also includeinformation that is just not suitable, since they are not customized for your region(how can they be when they are mass marketed?).

Possibly because of their need to appeal to the mass market, the templates includedmay look bland and boring. Many of the templates are also designed primarily forprint, not online viewing. IT professionals need to have a resume that workseffectively online, since resumes in the IT field are primarily viewed online first.For more information, refer to “Create Layout and Design” on page 13.

Tip: Like generic resume books, resume writing software is geared toward the massmarket, so it may be too generic to be useful.



About This Book | 5

That being said, resume writing software can simplify your writing process andprovide a structure you can build on. The software provides templates (or allowsyou to modify an existing resume), helps you organize your writing process, andprovides keywords.

ExampleConsider these phrases from resume writing software:

• Developed ideas for ____.

• Effective in stressful situations.

• Daily interfacing with engineers on various projects.

These phrases have some good beginnings, and now need to be enhanced. Whatwere the results of the ideas? How does the ability to be effective in stressfulsituations provide value to employers (what did this ability enable you to do forprevious employers)? What did interfacing with engineers accomplish? Simplylisting what you did is not as important as what you accomplished and how youwill contribute to future employers.

If You Choose to Use Resume Writing SoftwarePeople have used the techniques in this book to create professional resumeswithout resume writing software. If you choose to use resume writing software,then use it as a starting point. You still need to tailor your resume for the specificneeds of prospective employers and online job systems as described in this book.Enhancing your resume is discussed extensively in “Boost Your Content (GoodSecrets to Know)” on page 45 and “Tailor Your Resume to Beat Online JobSystems” on page 73.

Key PointsIn this chapter, we learned:

• It’s important to use a resume book specifically designed for your needs.

• There are pros and cons of resume writing software.

• You can write your own resume, even if you’re not a writer.

Next StepsNow that you have learned how this book can help you, and that you can use thisresume writing system successfully, let’s learn more about the resume writingsystem in the next chapter.



7

2Learn the System

Successful people know that success is a system. Learn the resume system before you begin your resume

and you can succeed.

“I never knew there was a system to writing a resume. Now I understand the right way to approach it.”

IntroductionI worked with a top IT security professional who, in the best of times, was amillionaire. In fact, Mary told me her profession was so specialized there werevery few people in the world who could do it, so she was always flying around theworld implementing these security systems in financial institutions. Then, therecession began, and she was unable to find work for two years.

Mary may have lost her job due to the recession, but she remained unemployed dueto her job search strategy. She completely dismissed the importance of a resume.When I pointed out that her resume was lacking in detail, and it wasn’t readilyapparent to an employer what she accomplished in these jobs, she looked at melike I had three ears, and said, “Any manager in my field would know. If I saw aresume with that kind of detail, I would throw it in the garbage.”



8 | Pamela Paterson

Mary completely misunderstood the resume system. She didn’t understand therelated inputs, outputs, flow of information, and points of failure. Mary incorrectlyassumed the IT manager would be the first person in the system flow to view herresume. This was a big mistake.

Often, it is the search engine of online job systems that you must please first,either in an online job board or a company’s in-house applicant trackingsystem. If it doesn’t get through this point in the system, it fails. You don’t geta second chance.

In fact, your resume may need to go through many stages in the online job systemsbefore any person sees it. For example, when I worked for a top global computercompany, resumes were not seen by anybody until they were processed forkeywords, filtered, and ranked by their human resources system. As talented asMary is, she may never have a job at a company like that until she changes herresume.

For your resume, you need to first understand the resume writing system beforeyou begin writing your resume, not after. Using this system this way will drive thedevelopment of your resume in an effective way.

In This ChapterThe topics discussed in this chapter are:

• Resume Writing Is a System (page 9)

• Resumes Are Pivotal to Getting a Job (page 9)

• Know the Actual Purpose of a Resume (page 10)

• Think of Yourself As a Product Looking for a Buyer (page 10)

• You’re Interviewed If You’re Not Rejected (page 11)

• Impact of Online Job Systems (page 11)

• Influence of Social Media (page 11)

Tip: It is the online job systems that you need to please first, not the hiringmanagers.



Learn the System | 9

Resume Writing Is a SystemAs shown in the following figure and described in this book, the resume writingsystem is a comprehensive process-oriented system.

As a first step, learn the components of the system. The second step is to create aneffective layout and design so you have a stable template. The third step is to boostyour content with specific tips and techniques from this book, so that your resumeis no longer the “plain vanilla” resume that thousands of other people have.

The fourth step is to tailor your resume for online job systems, and apply thetechniques needed for your resume to be optimized in these systems. The fifth stepis to keep your resume on top with more techniques that most people either do notknow or don’t do. Last, test and release your resume.

By writing your resume in this systematic way, you minimize the chances ofrejection because you’re meeting the needs of all the audiences (human andsystem) along the way. Time and time again, the resume writing system has shownitself to be a process that works.

Resumes Are Pivotal to Getting a JobA resume is the single most important document you will ever prepare in getting ajob. As such, learning the resume writing system is pivotal to getting a job.

The resume is a mandatory requirement of the hiring process. Most of the time, it isthe employer’s first impression of you and provides the basis for getting to the nextsteps. In interviews, it is the key document discussed to assess your suitability as acandidate. Lastly, it may be “finding you work” without you even knowing bybeing part of a candidate database.



10 | Pamela Paterson

Know the Actual Purpose of a ResumeThe purpose of a resume is, quite simply, to get you the interview. Resumes are notyour professional life condensed into a few pages. A resume is not a chronologicalhistory of every job you have had. For some of us, a resume like that would be 20pages.

Jack Molisani, president of ProSpring Technical Staffing, says, “A resume is just avehicle that shows you match what the reader is looking for—and that’s all it is. Ifyou know a resume is just a vehicle that shows you match what the reader islooking for (meaning, the job requirements), you can take steps to help the readerfind that information and thus increase the number of interviews you receive.”

So the question then becomes, how do you create a resume to enhance yourchances at getting the interview? In the 30 seconds (some human resourcesprofessionals would even say six seconds) that employers spend looking at yourresume, you need to stand out from everybody else. You need to be the one theychoose. Over 100 proven techniques in this book will show you how to increase thenumber of interviews you are offered.

Think of Yourself As a Product Looking for a BuyerThe resume writing system has been developed with the recognition that you needto think of yourself as a product. You are a product looking for a specific buyer,and as Senior Recruiter Sup Das says, it’s a buyer’s market.

So, you need to understand who your buyers are and what they want and need.Present yourself in the way that matters most to hiring managers, recruiters, andonline job systems.

Savvy advertisers know exactly who their buyers are, what they want, and whatthey need. Even though their ad may be seen by millions, they create their ad toreach their identified target audiences.

In the same way, you will learn in this book how to identify and reach your targetaudiences, and how to engage them. You can convince them that you are the rightperson to be interviewed by writing a resume that works.

Remember, there is a buyer for every product. If you are not getting the rightbuyers, then you need to be willing to change your product. Do companies releasea product once, and if consumers don’t buy it, throw it in the garbage? Of coursenot—they have invested too much money. They modify the product based onfeedback from consumers, and then release it again.

Companies also re-examine their marketing strategy and find new opportunities fordistribution. They aggressively market their products and believe in them.Companies inspire confidence in buyers that they have made the right decision bybuying the product.

Tip: Companies believe in their products. Believe in your product, which isyourself.



Learn the System | 11

You’re Interviewed If You’re Not RejectedThe resume writing system addresses the dynamics of resume rejection: how, why,and when resumes are rejected. Recruiter Jack Molisani advises that if you get aninterview, it will not be because someone liked your resume—it will be becausenobody rejected it yet.

You may be tossed into the reject pile because you have an unprofessional emailaddress, somebody found a controversial statement you blogged, or your resumedoesn’t show what you can do for a prospective employer. This book provides toptips and techniques for keeping your resume out of the reject pile.

Impact of Online Job SystemsObviously, a major part of the resume writing system is learning how to navigatethrough online job systems. These systems may be online job boards or applicanttracking systems (ATSs). ATSs are systems companies use for the end-to-endhiring process, from the point candidates apply to when they are hired. Most majorhuman resources departments use online job systems to fill jobs. I was part of ateam that implemented these systems and I have seen how they are configured.Understanding how to navigate through online job systems is critical to jobsuccess. For more information, refer to “Beating Online Job Systems—What YouNeed to Know” on page 79.

Influence of Social Media More recently, social media has influenced the resume writing system. As socialand work lives increasingly move online, prospective employers are right therealong with you. More and more, prospective employers are using sites likeLinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook to find new candidates. The influence of socialmedia is discussed in detail in “Tailor Your Resume to Beat Online Job Systems”on page 73.

Key PointsIn this chapter, we learned:

• The resume writing system is comprehensive, and it needs to be.

• Your resume is the most important document you will ever write for a job.

• The purpose of a resume is to get you the interview.

Tip: Your goal is to make sure your resume isn’t rejected.




Next StepsNow that you have learned the major components of the resume writing system,let’s learn the next step, creating the layout and design of your resume.



129

About the Author

Pamela Paterson gained an insider’s edge into how online job systems work whenshe was part of a team that implemented a job applicant system for a globalfinancial auditing company. She has taught about the art and science of creatingeffective resumes for over 15 years at workshops, colleges, and conferences.

When she is not admiring great resumes, Pamela spends her time as a consultant,college instructor, and speaker (www.writertypes.com).

She has a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a master’s degree in science from theUniversity of Maryland. Pamela was inducted into the same honor society asJimmy Carter, Hillary Rodham Clinton, and Linus C. Pauling.



131

IndexAabbreviations 51acronyms 51address

alternatives 24including 23rejection 23

ageismdates 62problems 62strategies 112

alignment, text 17audiences

blogs 76caring about 75compatibility 77empathy 75inattention 53keeping 53needs 10personalities 77targeting 76time constraints 53

awardsincluding 39summary of qualifications 28

Bblogs

audience needs 76social media 85strategies 85techniques 85

brand namesabsence 61companies 61filters 15importance of 15problems 61

builders, resumes 15bulleted list, examples 17, 18

Ccapitalization, use of 20career summary

alternatives 27examples 26information to include 26layout and design 26optional 26snapshot 26

chronological formatcons 23dates 23examples 22importance of 21layout and design 21preferred 22pros 23

colorlayout and design 20use of 20

columns 17common sense 97companies

appealing to 77brand names 61collecting data about 94corporate culture 111importance of fit 111large 77learning about 94news, importance of 95process-oriented 77startup 77types, different 77




computer and technical skillscompany names 31examples 30, 31experience level 32information to include 29layout and design 29tool names 31version numbers 32

contentfacts 47math 53techniques 45, 48verbs, vague 49verbs, weak 49words, choosing 47, 51

continuing education, including 36contracts

examples 67multiple 67

creativity 96job search, relevance of 96techniques 96

creators, resumes 15criticism 105

Ddata collection 94dates

accuracy of 43ageism 62chronological format 23education 36experience section 33gaps, fixing 55new grads 62problems 60solutions 60

discriminationdealing with 63examples 63foreign workers 70immigrants 70problems 63purple hair 69strategies, dealing with 111

Eeducation

continuing education 36dates, including 36effectiveness 35examples 35, 36, 37, 38formal 35gaps 36GPA, examples 36grades 36high school 37informal 35information to include 35keywords 35layout and design 35problems 37, 60solutions 37

education section, layout and design 35email address

header section 23professional 24unprofessional 11

ethics 100importance of 67, 100job title 80online image 86relationships, forming 95role in success 100success, related to 80values, showing 67volunteer experience 41



Index | 133

examples"I", use of 51abbreviations 51acronyms 51alternative to objective 26bulleted list 18career summary 26chronological format 22computer skills 30, 31content organization 57, 58contract renewals 67discrimination, dealing with 63education 35, 36, 38experience, unrelated 60facts 47, 48gaps, fixing with education 36GPA 36graphics 17jargon 51job title 34keyword organization 31matching job posting 55math 53optimizing volunteerism 42results-oriented 69self-promotion 63, 64shyness, overcoming 63, 64skills 30, 31skills, showing yours 48technical skills 30, 31text alignment 18uncompleted education 37unrelated experience 60values, showing 67verbs 49, 50volunteer experience 40, 41white space 19, 20

experienceexamples 60gaps 55importance of 33information to include 33job titles 33problems 111solutions 111unrelated 59, 60

experience section, layout and design33

FFacebook

social media 11, 85strategies 85techniques 85

factsexamples 47, 48importance of 47

feedback 105file format

employer preferred 71options 71

first person, use of 51fonts

common 20layout and design 20online 20print 20proper 20san serif 20serif 20uncommon 20

footers, problems 17

Ggaps

chronological format 23education 36examples 36fixing 111problems 55solutions 55




goalsquestions 92requirements 92resumes, related to 92

grammar, importance of 71graphics

examples 17problematic 17

Hheaders, problems 17headings

color, use of 20layout and design 20

high school 37hobbies

layout and design 40optional 40

Iimmigrants, discrimination 70information interviews 106

knowledge 106purpose 106resume review 107setting up 106techniques 106training 107

interviewsaccuracy of resumes 43getting 10increased chances 10, 33, 75rejection 11resumes, role of 9, 10

Jjargon 51job opportunities

anticipating 96finding 96hiring cycle, understanding 96

job prospectsanticipating 96connections 96pursue 97pursuing 97

job searchoptimism, role of 98skills 98social media 11techniques 97tips 98

job titleethics 80examples 34

job titlesappropriateness 34examples 34managing 33online job systems 33search engines 33

Kkeywords

education 35listing 31optimizing 31, 80organizing 31selecting 80using 80

knowledge 94



Index | 135

Llayout and design

address 23address alternatives 24alignment 17career summary 26chronological format 21color 20columns 17computer and technical skills 29computer skills 29designing 16education 35experience 33experience section 33fonts 20footers 17graphics 17headers 17headings 20hobbies 40ideas 13objective section 25optional sections 39problems 17qualifications 27research 16summary 27summary of qualifications 27tables 17technical skills 29techniques 13text boxes 17volunteer experience 40white space 18

LinkedInlogo, using 17recommendations 109references 109social media 11, 83strategies 83techniques 83

logos 17

Mmath

examples 53presenting 53

media, importance of 95mentor 93mentors

appreciation 99finding 93importance of 93

Nnetworking

appreciation 99associations 92ethics 95hiring managers 93importance of 92language barriers 97mentorship 93recruiters 93relationships 93

new gradsdates, using 62problems 61solutions 61

numbersexamples 53presenting 53software version 32

Oobjectives

alternatives 26information needed 25layout and design 25optional 25

online imageethics 86fixing 86problems 86




online job systemsappealing to 54Applicant Tracking System 11ATS 11beating 73ethics 80impact 11job search 11job titles 33keywords 31optimizing for 80page length 65search methods 79social media 82tailoring for 73techniques to beat 79

optimismadvantages 98having for yourself 114online image 86

Ppage length

biography 66debate 65proper 65success of 65white space 18

personality 98appreciation 99importance of 98

preferred profilecontract renewals 67creating 67ethics 100fitting in 69impressions 67personality, ideal 98project management 68promotions 68qualifications 94results-oriented 69skills 94values 67well-rounded 68

problemsageism 62, 112attention, lack of 110callback 112college 38companies, not enough 111content 54corporate culture fit 111dates 60degree 38discrimination 63, 111education 37, 38, 60education incomplete 37employer inattention 110experience 60fit with company 111gaps 23, 55, 111graphics 17information missing 110interviews 113job posting differences 54, 110jobs, not enough 56, 59layout and design 17new grads 61not awarded job 113online image 86online search failures 110optimizing for searches 110point of contact 112self-promotion, lack of 112shyness 63, 112solutions 110stagnation 111strategies 110university 38unknown companies 61unrelated experience 59, 111white space 18

project managementimportance of 68self-management 68

promotionsincluding 68perceptions 68



Index | 137

Qqualifications 94

Rrecruiters

job titles 34opinions 34

references 108contacting 108honing 108LinkedIn 109

rejectionemployer instructions 71resumes 71

relationships 93releasing 105results-oriented, examples 69resume 10resume software, See resume writingsoftware 4resume writing

system 9techniques 42

resume writing softwareabout 4generic 4problems 4

resume writing system 7components 9parts 9

resumesaccuracy 100audience needs 10builders 15buyer needs 10checklist 123completeness check 123creators 15definition 10design, effective 16easy to scan 53effectiveness 16ethics 100filters 81goals 92investment 10lack of success 11optimizing 89problems 110product comparison 10purpose 10rejection 11, 71releasing 103reviews by HR 81solutions 110strategies 110templates 15testing 103

reverse chronological formatSee chronological format 21

Ssans serif font 20sections

computer and technical skills 29education 35experience 33objectives 25optional 39summary of qualifications 27volunteer 40

self-promotion, examples 63, 64serif font 20




shynessovercoming 114problems 63strategies 112valuing yourself 114

skills, See computer and technicalskills 29social media

blogs 85Facebook 11, 85impact to resume 11importance of 11job search 11LinkedIn 11, 83online job systems 82profile, building 82Twitter 11, 84using 82website 85

spelling, importance of 71statistics, presenting 53strengths 98summary of qualifications

awards 28critical 28information to include 27tailoring 28

system, resume writing 9

Ttables 17technical skills, layout and design 29techniques

creativity 96job search 97writing 48

telephone number 17templates

free 15resumes 15

testimonials, using 28

testing 105approach 105criticism, role of 105feedback 105resumes 103techniques 103

text alignment, examples 17, 18text boxes 17Twitter

social media 11, 84strategies 84techniques 84

Vvalues 28

appreciation 99ethics 100examples 67yourself 114

verbsexamples 49, 50recommendations 119strong 119tense 50vague 49weak 49

version numbers 32volunteer experience

examples 40, 41, 42optimizing 41section 40selecting 40using for gaps 56

Wwebsite

social media 85strategies 85techniques 85

white spaceexamples 19, 20layout and design 18page length 18problems 18



Index | 139

wordschoosing 97importance of 97relevance to resumes 97

writingtechniques 42, 45, 48tips 45



Documents

(Computer and IT Professionals Edition) By Pamela Paterson · Pamela and thanks to me for bringing her into the classroom to provide valuable lessons that can be applied right away