The first two keys (of three) of effective career transition are the basis of this "chart".
1)  Plan and act "outside of the box" created by traditional thinking.  Clearly, personal growth requires change... Your choice!
2) Always communicate yourself in a positive, future-oriented manner.  Put your best foot forward !!! Remember, you will be screened for experience, but hired for your potential. 


A traditional resume communicates what you have already done... sort of a historical epitaph of your past. This M.A.P. encourages you to communicate what you are capable of and motivated to do in the future, using your past as supportive evidence.  Its easy to make a resume look and read well... but does YOUR resume truly "FIT" your career objectives?  A "GREAT" Resume is a dynamic documentation of your communication strategy, the vital epicenter of your Personal Market Plan. It is the most used of your written collaterals. It can be kept current throughout your career with annual (or more frequent) Career "FITness Tests.

The old "round peg in a round role" theory of career planning is dysfunctional. In the typical professional environment today, job descriptions are changing faster than ever before to keep up with the challenges of an economy in transition. Seize control of such challenges. Understand the nature of FIT. You understand that managing your own career involves three key ingredients:

1. Competency with job-changing skills;
2. Continuous research and networking leading to awareness of potential next steps;
3. Confidence in knowing that your career is on the right path and moving forward.

So, now it's time for a change... you have identified multiple opportunities... which one should you seize? Take the one with the best Career "FIT"!

To achieve a good "fit" between you and any future opportunity, you have to ask yourself some basic questions about yourself and your prospective employers. The fit depends on how well the jobs meets your needs and how well your skills and abilities meet the employer’s needs. The employer will make a decision and extend an offer to you: now it is time for you to make your decision.

Write out the factors that are important to you in a job... actually write out your list. During your career transition, you learn the value of setting your offer criteria.

• Creates an objective target for your efforts ahead;
• Gives you a meaningful set of questions to ask during research and networking;
• Provides an objective way to analyze and react to offers as they occur.

To manage your career wisely has you extending the same concept... in this context, in creating a GREAT resume.

COMPONENTS Of A GREAT RESUME...

Contact Information

YOUR NAME... Use the name you would like in your employment records, usually your full, given name.

ADDRESS... Use the address that you would like to direct correspondence to, usually your home address.

PHONE NUMBER... Use the numbers to which you'd like to direct calls: During working hours (O), usually your home number or voice mail... or at night (H), usually your home number (please note the implied decision, here).

ALTERNATE CONTACT... In today's world of work, fax, email and cell phones have increasingly become our best way to stay available and "in touch". Being available 24 X 7 can be an important dimension of your positioning. After all, you want potential employers and network contacts to be able to reach you, right?


Positioning Statement and Qualification Summary

The traditional approach is to clearly state your objective... "Thinking outside the box" allows you to give them the information they need, but in a manner that favors your candidacy: CLEARLY Position yourself to create the category that you may "fit" for their consideration, then define that positioning with a well-thought out background summary of key words and strengths that will "fit" their needs. Key word selection is the critical step in this MAP!

With "no time to read" your entire resume, the hiring-side process is set up to screen unwanted resumes based on key words and strengths, typically referred to as "buzz words". Its imperative that you select attractive buzz words to facilitate your making it through the maze called the screening process (human or digital).

Think of your qualification summary, no matter which format you may select, to be the "table of contents" for the rest of your resume content, selecting your work experience examples (accomplishment statements) to make your resume content "fit" your career objective... with no excess baggage!

No single format could possibly "fit" everyone's unique positioning, so select a format which is favorable to your career objectives. Remember, put your best foot forward !


Professional Experience

The traditional approach is to provide a look at what you can do based on what you have done, the historical epitaph. In a GREAT RESUME, however, you'll be presenting your qualifications based on actual job history--selectively presenting your accomplishments to support your unique positioning.

This component usually represents the bulk of your resume's content, so you'll want to keep it "reader-friendly" while allowing yourself adequate space to "tell your story", with no excess baggage! If you are starting from scratch or simply updating an existing resume, be sure to cover your entire career in your resume's rough draft. You can always edit for length later.

Choose either a reverse-chronological, functional or combination approach to present your material.


Professional Development

The traditional approach is to use "EDUCATION" as the heading for this component. However, how you have learned what you do (your profession), been recognized for it and have chosen related affiliations within your profession, all are a part of how your career has developed. Consider:

• Accredited degrees with the most significant in the first position (showing major if related to your profession).
• Professional Schools, including related military training.
• Company and vendor training events related to your profession.
• Licenses, certifications and other "credentials" related to your career objectives.
• Affiliations... be careful, here, with organizations that expose your ethnic, religious or political views.

Note: If you are well qualified and experienced in a body of knowledge that supports your work, ie computers and the Internet, you may want to consider a separate "SKILLS INVENTORY" in this component, or as a part of your Qualification Summary. Again, remember to put your best foot forward.


Most "career transition books" have excellent chapters that accelerate your preparation for drafting an effective resume. It is important that you access and/ or are aware of your career objectives, profession, positioning and the supportive key words and strengths. So if you are starting from scratch, or updating an old resume, start with solid assessment before proceeding with your resume drafting. Your preparation will also help you decide what you want to do next in your career.

Many of you already have a reasonably well worded, and formatted, current resume. However, if you are uncertain how well your resume "fits" your objectives, you may want to revisit the preparation issues before proceeding with resume template drafting.


A GREAT Resume will help you assure a good fit with your next employment.

Bob Maher, CMF... The Careerpilot

Bob created his online presence, www.careerpilot.com, in 1994. He has over thirty years of successful experience in Corporate Recruitment, performance management and Career Management Services. He is an entrepreneur and innovator in the use of information technology in the recruitment and employment process. On the Founder's Council of the Association of Career Professionals - International and quite active in their Professional Development, Technology and Chapter Growth initiatives--a frequent speaker at industry conferences and seminars. Awarded the Association's prestigious "LIFE ACHIEVEMENT AWARD" in 2006. A Career Management FELLOW, as certified by the Institute for Career Certification-International, the only independent and international certifying body for career professionals.