How to write a Resume:
Creating a Powerful, Skills Based Resume
– One Liners that Work

How to write a resume!

First you have to decide whether your skills and experience with regard to the job for which you are currently applying, are best suited to a Chronological or a Skills Based format.

I have heard people say so often that a skills based resume doesn’t work. From this, I can only assume that they just don’t know how to write a resume properly, because a well written skill based resume is powerful. And that goes for whether it is purely skills based, or in combination with the chronological format.

This is not for discussion in this article, since either type of resume can be improved by following the tips written below.

The function of any resume is to create interest and get you the interview.

So how to write a resume that will get you through the door?

What is the difference between one that works and one that doesn’t?

The difference is whether just write down a list of skills, responsibilities and job duties you hope the reader will accept as the truth, you whether you use one-liners to prove that you have the skill.

When you are considering how to write a resume consider this:

You're skills, responsibilities and job duties tell the employer what you did.

The accomplishment statements - or how you did it - tell the employer how well you did each thing.

You may have a line in your resume which reads:

- organized, hard worker, excellent communication skills, computer proficient

This proves nothing, except that you’ve read the job ad and are regurgitating the information onto paper!

If my resume says I have great computer skills, why should anyone believe me? Especially if under "Education and Training" you find nothing related to learning computers!

They will believe me if I can tell stories to prove that I have the skill I am claiming.

So how to write a resume that proves you have the skills you claim?

First look carefully at the job description – or find out as much as you can about the job.

What exactly are they looking for?

Let’s assume you are looking at a job advertisement which just says “excellent computer skills.” This is pretty vague and you don’t know what software they need you to know, but it’s a pretty safe bet that Microsoft Office is required.

Next, think of stories, true stories from your life – they can be as long as you like at this point – stories that describe your proficiency on computers.

What have you done with computers?

What projects?

What software did you take courses in, teach yourself, and what did you use this information for after you’d learned it?

If you are self taught it is still valid to put these skills (or any other self taught skills you might have) in your resume, it just makes it harder to prove you know what you claim to know.

However, let's say you have used computers extensively for 10 years years - this gives you a wealth of stories from which to draw.

Now you just need to work out how write a resume to explain this and convince the employer.

Here is a hypothetical story:

One of the first things Mary did once she learned to use a Word Processor was to undertake creating a newsletter for a social group of which she was a member. She can condense this story into a one line statement for her resume.

If Mary was working out how to write a resume that works, her one liner could look something like this:

- Created & produced a monthly 12 page newsletter, using various advanced formatting functions

Let's say Mary also did some coaching on her favorite topic of natural supplements (in which she is a bit of an unofficial expert). She provided written or verbal consultation reports for clients. When she was at home with her children this was a VERY part time occupation, but the computer skills she used are still valid.

- Created & formatted 4 page structured reports for clients, responsible for grammar, spelling, layout and content.

Are you getting the idea?

Everything she is saying is the absolute truth, but she is phrasing it in business-like terms, and instead of just saying she knows how to use Word, she has given them 2 concrete examples of what she has done with the program.

This is the basis of the skills based resume or a combination skills-based / chronological resume.

This is how to write a resume that gets interest.

If you look back to Mary's story about her coaching – she mentioned she did either written or verbal reports.

There is probably going to be (and should be) a section in her resume, no matter what job she is applying for, entitled "Communication Skills." After all, what job wouldn’t be made easier if it’s incumbent had good communication skills?

So can you guess what is going to appear in this section of Mary's resume?

- Discussed sometimes sensitive report results with clients, using brevity, clarity and tact.

Now, I’m assuming you do not have exactly the same skills or experience as Mary. However, you all do many things. Take one thing that you felt you did or do well, and try creating a one-liner from it.

If you are feeling modest, and thinking it makes you seem too grand – don’t worry, this is normal.

Try thinking of the action or skill as belonging to someone else, say your best friend. If you possibly can, think of someone else who actually does this same thing.

Then describe it in a one liner describing it for their resume, with no inhibitions or thinking of it as being about yourself.

Then objectively look at what you wrote, and ask yourself if this could in all honesty describe you also. The answer is probably “yes.”

Writing a skills based resume does not include any deception.

It involves describing your skills in business-like terms, which unless you got the skills in business, is probably a way you have not previously looked at them.

Give it a try.

How to write a resume? Use one liners – they work!

What Soft Skills are most employers looking for?

What are Soft Skills?

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