Resume Roadmap. What Goes Into A Good Resume

A friend asked me yesterday, “What all goes into writing a good resume?” This is such a huge question, I had to laugh. It’s like asking Serena how to play tennis or asking Billie Eilish, “How can I sing like that?”
 
I don’t know tennis and I only sing in the shower, but I do know what goes into a good resume—especially for women over 50 who are in transition. The short answer is that the resume portrays what it is like to work with you. And more than a history of past work experiences, I think of the resume as a roadmap to the future that opens the door to what is possible. I do this by presenting not just accomplishments but the skills, qualities, and characteristics that made the accomplishments possible.
 
My resume writing process is deeply introspective. I ask clients to complete an in-depth questionnaire about what they’ve done, why it makes a difference, and how it’s relevant to their life goals and dreams. The resume-as-roadmap factor is why I like to recommend that people keep their resume current. 
 
If you are looking for change and growth or wondering what it is you’re actually doing in your career, maybe it’s time for a look under the hood? 
 
Why are you so good at what you do? What accomplishments are you most proud of? Why? How did you get to where you are today? What makes you You? How do you want potential employers/colleagues to perceive you? How do you want to perceive yourself? Answering such probing questions can either reassure you that you’re in the right job or start to inform your path to the right job.

Contact me. 
Let’s make a map of your future.​
Jane Taylor
​Career Communications Specialist

Title Photo by Daniel Gonzalez on Unsplash