Your Resume - Captured The Ideal Format?

I recently received an email from a client who is graduating in 2010 with honors from a prestigious university majoring in business. He is an exceptional student, active in scholastic and community activities. In his email, he advised me that 150 corporate recruiters were going to visit his campus in two weeks.

After providing his class advisor with a copy of his resume, he was counseled that recruiters '... typically seek a more conservative look' in a resume. The advisor recommended that a 'Job Objective' be included, and the 'Profile' and 'Skills and Attributes' be eliminated. He was advised to '...elaborate on his fraternity involvement and create a more conservative format' (i.e. organizing titles on the left side of the page, content to the right). He requested my guidance after receiving these comments.

I am frequently asked similar questions by many of my clients. Is there a 'conventional' resume format proven more effective than others? How should the content be structured? What information is required? Is one page sufficient? The answers to these typical questions are intuitively quite simple - it's dependent on the intentions and requirements of the individual job seeker!

The fact is, rapidly advancing technologies and radically different business models have influenced a paradigm shift in how resumes are structured, delivered, and the relevant content that will inspire the potential reader. Since each client situation is unique, there are no set rules relative to formatting and content.

It is incumbent on the professional resume writer to understand the job seeker, their skills, experience, career status, and job objective. We subsequently must leverage upon and encapsulate this 'discovery' into an effective resume format specifically tailored to 'optimize' the interview potential for the job seeker. The structure and content of a resume is predicated upon our resolve and innovation that best achieves results for the job seeker!

In the case of the e-mail referenced above, the class advisor was seeking a 'simple' scholastic resume, devoid of any unnecessary elements. My client had many extraordinary skills and attributes which afforded him a superior level of 'differentiation'. The resume was subsequently untouched and praised by the on-campus recruiters!

In preparing for the future, the resume writer first must be prepared to manage change. The resume format that would be categorized as exceptional 10-15 years ago is archaic and no longer exists! Today, the rules have changed - incorporating a myriad of complementary e-resumes in addition to the typical 'hand-out' copy.

Whether utilizing a chronological format, functional format, or, combination of both, the ultimate goal must be the delivery of a 'highly targeted solution', structured to achieve maximum marketing impact by opening doors for interviews. To summarize, let creativity and the specific needs of the client influence and dictate the format and content of a visually appealing resume.

Lenny Keitel is a former 29 year veteran with Fujitsu as a Director of Professional Services and Information Technology (IT). Integrity, persistence, and promoting a collaborative team effort have underscored his tireless passion to provide quality services while surpassing client and corporate expectations. Mr. Keitel's management responsibilities included - employee staffing and career development, strategic resource planning, client self-service re-engineering, assessment of emerging technologies, and forging strategic business alliances.

Hudson Valley Resumes is a premier nationwide Resume Writing Service with a penchant for crafting compelling, visually appealing resumes. We are experts in composing impressive resumes by differentiating and positioning our clients a 'cut-above' other candidates. Our clients directly benefit from our unique insight into complex internal corporate tactics and dynamic factors potentially impacting staffing selections. We are a sensible choice for job seekers looking for a superior level of personalized service to reduce the time, cost, and frustration with their job search.

Lenny Keitel Hudson Valley Resumes http://www.hudsonvalleyresumes.com