There are several different thoughts on Resumes, what they should look like, what they should contain, how long they should be. First of all, understand that a resume is a tool with a specific purpose and like any tool, you want the best you can get, so the results you produce using that tool will exceed your expectations. Next, a Resume is not for "Internal Consumption." That is, it's not designed for you to read and like. No matter what you think of it, the only opinion that matters is that of the person who reads it. So be prepared to set aside all your preconceptions about "should" and produce a document that will have the reader say " I want to find out more about this person."

Pragmatically, the ONLY purpose of your Resume is to get you an interview. It's that simple. And the Resume that will produce that result is one that effectively communicates your value - what's called a "Compelling Value Statement"  - to the reader. So, your job is to think like the reader and build your resume around what they want to see. In almost all cases, the most effective resumes say "I can make more money for your company with the lowest risk than anyone else you'll talk to about this position."

That may seem like a controversial statement, so consider the following: In October, 2004, we attended a local awards breakfast and met someone from a local company. We explained what we do at CTS, and after we were done, he said "I wish when people interview with me, they would tell me how they're going to make money for my company." We remarked that most people weren't trained to think of themselves that way, they simply saw themselves as "Employees" who were just "Doing their job." We then asked what position our acquaintence held. Turns out he's the Executive Vice President and General Manager of a division of a major Japanese company.

Building a resume that produces results is NOT rocket science. There's a process you can follow that will get you there quickly. Yes, it takes some practice, but in most cases you already know what to say.

One more comment. This was overheard recently as someone was talking on his cell phone and we were passing by: "He sent me a resume, four pages stapled together. The first thing I did was throw it away. What kind of fool thinks I have time to read a four page resume. One, maybe two pages, MAX." Yes, he was upset. The person who sent that resume will probably never know how upset the reader was, and may have thought his four page resume was great. Well, it wasn't. At least not to the hiring authority. So, don't assume anything. Remember, your resume's NOT for "Internal Consumption."