Permission is given to reprint the following articles, provided that the following contact information is provided in its entirety. 

© by Bonnie Budzowski, President of InCredible Messages, LP. 
Visit  www.IncredibleMessages.com or contact Bonnie at info@IncredibleMessages.com. 

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It May Be Your Resume, But It’s Not About You!

By Bonnie Budzowski
President, InCredible Messages, LP

If your resume is effective, chances are that your name is at the top, but the document is focused on the reader. It probably demonstrates some of the following qualities—ones that catch a hiring manager’s attention and result in an interview:

• No Squinting is Required
  An effective resume is designed to be attractive and easy for the reader. The page looks clean and uncluttered. Fonts are recognizable and easy to read (minimum: size 12 font). The use of headings, bullets, and spacing makes it easy for your resume to be scanned.
• Results Take Precedence Over Position
  Hiring managers are not as concerned with the positions you’ve held as they are with the results you’ve achieved. Managers want to read about results in a way that convinces them you are prepared to achieve these same results or better in a new job. In a resume that convinces, claims are supported by facts and figures.
• It Demonstrates Restraint
  An effective resume considerately withholds information—because it’s unlikely a hiring manager cares that you once delivered newspapers. With the exception of academic and research vitae, the effective resume is short and to the point. It provides just enough information so that the manager wants to meet you to find out more—not about you, but about what you can do for the company.

It’s amazing to think about this: if your resume is effective, it’s not really about you. Effective communication, across all situations, is receiver-centered. Keep this in mind when you submit your next report or proposal. Those documents aren’t about you either.
 

Permission is granted to reprint this article when the following contact information is included: © 2008 by Bonnie Budzowski, President of InCredible Messages, LP. For more free articles, go to www.IncredibleMessages.com or contact Bonnie at info@IncredibleMessages.com.

Imagine yourself in a situation in which one professional shows you how to incorporate the insights of three perspectives into your business communication:  marketing, persuasion, and visual design. 

Imagine an interactive session with an entertaining and inspiring speaker.  Do you like what you see?  You’ve just envisioned working with Bonnie Budzowski, President of inCredible Messages, LP.

Contact Bonnie to learn more about how she can guide you and your team to create compelling business messages or call 412-361-1490. 

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