Credential Scripting a.k.a. Resume Writing
As we continue to work with our constituents, future leaders, and/or collegians, it is imperative that we assist them in thinking in terms of credentials. Credentials are those assets that are going to take them to the next level of leadership. As they matriculate though college, they have to separate themselves from the behaviors of the past such as procrastination, indecisiveness, and mediocrity to a new level of mastery and professionalism that employers are seeking. Employers are diligently seeking these attributes to fill the limited and competitive positions that are available in this uncertain economy.
Here at Delaware State University my colleagues and I, in the Office of Career Services have already begun to implement this theory. The theory is to touch our collegians as early as their freshman year and consistently and strategically engage them. This often means interacting with faculty and staff and sharing with them this theory of encouraging credential building. As a result we are seeing an increase in the number of students that are diligently seeking meaningful opportunities to enhance and build upon their credentials. These opportunities include internships, co-ops, certifications, and licenses.
Credential Scripting a.k.a. Resume Writing is an art. Collegians and adults alike often view a resume as a document that just lists past employment and maybe some activities they have participated in. The reality is that a resume is a reflection of how a person has groomed their talent. You are your resume! When a potential employer is looking at a resume they are really examining the credentials that have been acquired. Credentials also referred to as skills are essential. Employers specifically seek current, relevant, and those skills that may be an asset to the company in the future. The resume is a strong indicator of the type of employee you will be.
Remember this, a resume never gets you the job, it gets you the opportunity for an interview.
As an individual begins to develop a resume, particularly freshman and sophomores, they should write down all of their credentials, i.e. skills, employment responsibilities, activities, volunteer work, interests and any other items that may be of interest to a prospective employer. Everything may not be included in the resume, but the activity develops a working inventory (credential list) of skills that are the script of the resume.
It is extremely difficult to write an effective resume when a person has limited credentials to substantiate why they are applying for a position. This often becomes an overwhelming burden, so people avoid the process.
A resume is great to have but it should have a purpose. People should ask themselves, “what is the purpose of my resume?” Is it to get an internship, co-op, or employment? Often time’s resumes are written, used, and forgotten about until once again needed. I encourage our collegians, to actively work on their documents by taking every opportunity while they are at Delaware State University to add valuable credentials to their resume on an ongoing basis. Every time they submit a resume it should be developed for the position applying for, this means a bit of research on the students part. Everything from the format to the wording needs to be considered. In essence the document needs to be flawless. Your credentials should be current and usable. Remember, the resume gets the interview and the credentials listed on the resumes is what the potential employer is viewing in order to make informed and knowledgeable decisions regarding who gets an opportunity to interview and who does not.
A resume has to be perfect. Nothings perfect you say, well individuals that are offered interviews and positions began with a “perfect resume”.
The key to an excellent resume is the strategic use of “KEYWORDS”. These key words are adjectives, nouns, and verbs. They are used to describe specific skill areas that employers are looking for in potential employees. Also, some larger companies scan resumes through computer programs designed to target these types of words. Resumes that do not have a substantial amount of the desired skills are eliminated from the pool of applicants considered for hire. (A clever and effective means to eliminate resumes, particularly when there are hundreds or thousands to review).
A resume should be thoroughly checked using spelling and grammar checks on the computer as an initial step. A computer can not compete with a trained professional when it comes to reviewing a resume. The writer really needs to get an objective opinion from a Career Services Office, an individual trained to look for detail. There they can be probed, questioned, and provided with professional suggestions and assistance to ensure a quality document is submitted. In a Career Services office there can be found endless resources not only to assist in resume writing but with regards to specific companies and institutions of higher learning.
A resume is representative of the individual submitting it therefore one must be able to effectively communicate any part of it upon question. It is so embarrassing to be asked about something on a resume and unable to answer. What will an employer think? All aspects of the document need to be effectively addressed through clear and concise oral communication without hesitation.
Formatting is also a very important aspect of resume writing. Does the resume look like a term paper? Employers are reviewing many resumes; employers need to be able extract the pertinent information as easily as possible. Slang should not be used at all and acronyms should be kept to a bare minimal. A resume should have plenty of white space in the document, allowing the reviewer to get the important information from the document. Margins should be as close to an inch as possible all around the document, font size should be no smaller then (10) and no bigger than (12). There are several resume building programs that allow users to create resumes in effective formats. There are many resume programs that offer versatility and the ability to customize and enable documents to be put in Word or PDF formats.
As I stated before it is essential for individuals to utilize their Career Services Offices particularly when developing a resume. Career Services personnel are trained professionals who are in direct contact with employers throughout the year and know what employers are looking for in terms of credentials and resumes. Using the information in this article will help direct the knowledge, skills, and abilities essential in credential building to be in concert with occupational trends that leverage students to being highly marketable and mobilizing their talent towards preferred employment.