Your Resume:

Friend or Foe in an Employer's Job Market?

by John Kuzmich, Jr.

April 10, 2014

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| Dynamic Resume Techniques | View & Download a Dynamic Resume Template |

• Analyze these model "dynamic" resumes below.

  1. Alias 1
  2. Gordon B. Hinkley
  3. Erza Taft Benson
  4. Joseph Fielding Smith
  5. David O. McKay
  6. Heber J. Grant
  7. Spencer W.Kimball

Notice the dynamic contact information, graphical/colorful bullets, Summary & Skills heading with nine key descriptions rather than the tradition Objectives heading, how dynamically list your experience, and much more! The average employer takes 8 seconds to review a resume on the first cut. Some do it in 2 seconds and many use electronic resumes and use a scanner to eliminate you based on key words and never personally see your resume! If you are not familiar with the dynamic resume format and other techniques being used in today's employer-based job market, you really need to attend our Thursday stake employment meetings at 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. on a regular basis. In the interim, there is a special PowerPoint presentation dedicated to the construction of dynamic resumes required for today's job market. To view, click on: <http://www.kuzmich.com/Church/resume.html>.

You must become proficient in the following three areas of job recruitment/searching with cover letter writing, resume writing and interviewing skills. There are some dynamite books available. While public libraries may have these books, expect them to be checked out. Kinkos has them in their lobby. Sit and read them and take notes at no cost to you or purchase them at any book store. Your Ward Bishop or Branch to President may have purchased them for your Church unit.
1. Resume Writing: Resumes That Knock 'Em Dead by Martin John Yates, published by Adams Media Corporation. It contains hundreds of up-to-date resumes for most professions as prototypes of how to construct them. There is no better book on this subject.

2. Cover Letter Writing: Cover Letters That Knock 'Em Dead by Martin Yates, published by Adams Media Corporation. A cover letter is as important as a resume. It is read first before your resume is read. It must dove tail the specific job description point by point with your qualifications in a second column explaining why you are perfect for the job! Remember: a short resume is better than a longer one because longer resumes can provide to much information and consequently eliminate you from being called for an interview.

3. Interviewing Skills: Knock 'Em Dead with Great Answers to Though Interview Questions by Martin John Yates, published by Adams Media Corporation. Every interview has a point of departure with a tough question designed to eliminate you and terminate the interview early. For example, why are you looking for a new position? How much salary do you require? Why were you fired? What are your professional limitations, weaknesses? This book helps point every question to your strengths. You will also learn how to contact companies on the fly and work your own way to the company's personnel office step by step without a job being advertised. Remember; most jobs are filled without going through the classified adds approach by referrals. .
There are three kinds of resumes to consider as you revise your resume:
1. Chronological (not good for older people because it easily displays your approximate age).

2. Summary (good for projecting your expertise and career accomplishments).
3. Combination of chronological and summary resumes. This is the resume format that the Church frequently recommends.
View & Download a Dynamic Resume Template
Ready to design a dynamic resume?
1. View and download a dynamic template.