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What is a resume, is a question with a complex set of answers which this site pursues. For those only interested in the short definition, let me get it out of the way quickly.

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Working Definition Of “Resume”

Caveat

In order to answer What is a resume, let us look to the origins of the term. The term “resume” comes from a French word “résumé” that essentially means “summary.” The typical use of the term in the career-hunting field represents an advertising document, usually limited to 1 or 2 pages, used to represent oneself to a potential employer. The document has various bits of information written in a concise manner. It identifies the applicant It identifies qualifications for the job It is written in a manner to make him/her appear to be the most attractive candidate The purpose of the resume is: To get invited to an interview.

Before you just glance over the “definition” of What is a resume, please understand it will take more than these few words to help you understand what goes into writing a resume that gets an interview. A well written resume is precise is purposeful is persuasive has superb content is well structured is attractively designed and is effective The test for your resume's effectiveness is simple: Does it get you an interview? The rest of this page will be directed toward giving you a basic overview that answers the question, What is a resume.

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A Resume Is A Precise, Purposeful, Persuasive Document

One of the things that makes resume construction difficult is that it is a precise document. By that I mean that a well-written resume

• Has almost no extra words
• Has terse copy
• Is action-oriented regarding your past

Your task as a resume writer is to:

• Reach out to the reader
• Grab his attention
• Pull him into the rest of the document and
• Encourage him to take action  that means CALL YOU for an interview

You must grab his attention and write so well that he cannot put the document down. Your words must drip with an almost irresistible aroma that compels action. While this is not an easy task, if you have basic literary skills, it can be done.

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A Well-Written Resume Has Superb Content

That content tells your story in very specific terms. The story your resume tells makes a claim that...

You must then present evidence to back up your claim to be the best. Your resume must identify the

• Knowledge
• Skills
• Abilities
• Professional Experience and
• Other assets you bring to this position and

...document those claims with evidence the reader will believe.

To write your resume well, among other things, you must learn to:

• Answer the questions most important to your READER before she asks them
• Correlate your assets to the demands of the job
• Entice the readers eyes to flow directly to your most important copy
• Cluster ideas together around a topic
• Put an appropriate heading with it
• Fill your copy with action words and keywords
• Write with an intuitive economy of words, making sure each word you write has
  • a purpose
  • a target
  • a mission to accomplish

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A Well-Written Resume Is A Structured Document

Once you have answered the question, What is a resume thoroughly, your resume will be more than the assimilation of an assortment of words, claims, statements and evidence. It will also be a cohesive document with

• A singular purpose
• A directed flow
• A particular target

You will bring clusters of elements together under an appropriate heading that tells the reader what treasures she is going to find. The particular clusters will obviously include contact information, education and experience. However, other resume sections can be selected based on your own background and the needs of the potential job.

The selection of sections depends on a combination of your individual background and the needs of the potential position you seek. These are some of the choices available to you, but you are not limited to these particular names. If another term better describes what you are trying to sell to your prospective employer, by all means, use it. These particular titles are not sacred.

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A Well-Written Resume Is An Attractive Document

You have doubtless read dozens of those resumes that have no more visual appeal than asymmetrical ink blots on paper.

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After you have answered the question, What is a resume, You will create it with the artistry of a graphic designer, using the most appropriate tools of the designers toolbox. You will submit enough content to prove your substance and heft.

You will also exercise judgment about how to set off the most important content using:

• Document geography
• White space
• Various graphic devices that
  • Accentuate the focus of the eye and
  • Direct it to the most important content

Some of these graphic actions will be bold, while others are more subtle and suggestive in tone.

Everything you present will also be done very tastefully and have an overall aesthetic appeal. Garishness, gaudiness and glitz are NOT the answer.

The idea is not to impress the reader with your graphic arts skills, but to use graphic arts skills you will gain to communicate what a terrific candidate you are for this company. Remember, your resume is about getting you an interview for your next position.

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A Well-Written Resume Is An EFFECTIVE Document

After you gain a comprehensive answer to What is a resume, you learn that by "EFFECTIVE," I mean that the resume does what you want it to do...

The difference between someone who understands What is a resume and someone who does not is demonstrated by a resume that

• Gets the attention of the reader by quickly claiming, "I am the candidate you are seeking"
• Interests her so that she is drawn into the main body copy
• Presents her the evidence that substantiates my claims, and
• Incites her to take my most desired response -

What is a resume is all about helping you conceive, design, build and distribute a resume that will improve your chances of getting called for an interview. Certainly, you must have the requisite knowledge, skills, abilities and experience a position requires to even "...get in the ball park." However, if you have those basics, we want to show you how to build the document that will put on the best possible face for your best first impression.

Getting your interview for that job you've been chasing gives you a new appreciation for What is a resume.

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