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The 30-Second
Prime Impression



It takes approximately 30 seconds for an employer to review a resume. At the end of these precious 30 seconds, the employer makes a decision: whether to place your resume in the "consider" pile or the "reject" pile.

You may be the most wonderful, qualified candidate on earth, but your resume is a failure if in those 30 seconds the employer does not come to the conclusion that you "have what it takes". It is for this reason that having a resume that presents your best qualities is so important.


Qualities of a Good
Prime Impression
Resume



To influence an employer's decision, a resume should:
  • Focus as specifically as possible on the employer's needs and how you are eminently qualified to meet them.
  • Use a concise, easy to read format.
  • Give specific examples of accomplishments.
  • Use power verbs that sell your skills.

The Resume Building Process

Step 1: Pan for Gold

Imagine that it is 1849 in the Sierra Nevada Mountains and you are bent over a cold, clear stream. As you gently shake the pan in your hand, you separate precious nuggets of gold from thousands of particles of gravel and sand.
The first step to writing a good resume involves a similar process, but instead of sand and gravel, you are sifting through your experiences and skills. Each "nugget of gold" represents a particular skill or accomplishment that will be seen as valuable by a prospective employer. This sifting process is one of the more challenging parts of writing a resume. For many people, it can be easy to overlook or downplay important marketable skills.


Step 2: Apply the Polish

Once you have a list of accomplishments and skills, the task is to describe them in such a way that they make an impression.

Look at the following two summary paragraphs:
Before: "Many years of management experience in sales. Developed numerous sales campaigns. Works well with customers."
After:

"Sales manager with fifteen years of marketing, sales, and customer service experience. Proven track record of creating, implementing, and managing effective marketing plans and campaign rollouts. Specialty in developing and maintaining profitable relationships with vendors, partners, and executives."


Other Steps

Of course there are a number of other steps to writing a resume:

  • Organizing the information
  • Selecting a format
    • Layout and design

As a resume consultant, I can help you through any of these steps. I am completely flexible and can work with you to tailor a resume that puts your best foot forward.

I specialize in creating designs that are clear, concise, and easy to read. I can help you whether you are interested in a resume designed from scratch, or would just like some suggestions and feedback on your current resume.



Why use
Prime Impression?



  • Creating an effective resume is an art; there are no magic formulas or cookie-cutter formats that will make a resume exceptional. The art of the resume involves tailoring each line so that it highlights the skills, experiences, and qualities that make you an ideal candidate for the job. It helps to have a professional willing to spend hours thinking about how best to word each bullet point and structure each section.

  • It is sometimes difficult to be objectively aware of all of the qualities and skills that make you a good candidate for a job. As an experienced counselor, I am an expert at ferreting out those special talents and qualities that can make the difference between a resume that sparks an employer's interest, and one that ends up in the reject pile.

 

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"I said I would take your recommendations to heart, and I have completely redone my resume with fantastic results.
My hit rate is incredible...today I had 3 interviews for VP Operations, VP Training, and Director of Shop Floor Management. I have also interviewed for several Senior Director Positions."

 

"I wanted to sincerely thank you for
working on my resume. It looks fabulous!
I appreciate the fact that you worked so well with my feedback and
incorporated everything that I requested, thanks once again."