Being Forthright and Original in a Resume


Honesty conveyed in a resume

In addition to having your professional life presented in a way that reflects the best of your skills, education and other qualification elements, it is important to make sure that your resume and cover letter showcase your ethics and sincerity as well; because that resume document which you worked so hard to get right is a reflection of who you are. So when you compose your well-written resume, make sure there are no errors or gaps that would raise questions or leave open to misinterpretation, exactly what you are attempting to convey.

Additionally, while highlighting those qualifications that present you as the best candidate for the job, make sure that you include any credentials, certificates/licenses (where applicable) or specific language which could convey to your potential employer that you are a polished, detail-oriented professional who is also trustworthy, capable and reliable. Of course, doing all these things can be a difficult task, since the conveyance of honesty coupled with good intentions in a form letter and a resume is not an easy thing to do.

However, many employers keep a strict no tolerance policy against dishonesty, and therefore you will have to take extra care in making sure that all the information on your resume is authentic and truthful. Intentionally lying on a resume is not acceptable, but there are certain areas of your resume that may cause you to unintentionally list incorrect information; so pay close attention to the following aspects of your resume so that you can avoid giving your potential employer the impression that you are untruthful.

Avoiding unwanted interpretations

List your exact title under professional experience, because many professionals have titles that are company specific and therefore might not make sense outside of the organization where they work; so always list your exact title, but feel free to add a few words that explain what your responsibilities were in relation to the overall industry. This way, when your potential employer calls your employer for a reference check, they will confirm your exact title, but also understand the scope of your position as it applies outside of that specific organization.

When in doubt do not guess, because that could lead to unwanted interpretations and conclusions by a potential employer. For example, if you are unsure when you started or ended a job due to the length of time that has elapsed since you worked for that company, simply call the company and ask about your employment dates. Do not make assumptions about dates or titles of your references; and don’t take liberties with their contact information, certification dates, or any other pertinent information. Always take the time to verify any information you are unsure of before including it on your resume.

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Truthfully & adroitly filling employment gaps

It makes no sense to cover up your employment gaps, so don’t commit this unforced error, since having gaps in employment on a resume has certainly been done before and is therefore something that a potential; employer will understand. Many professionals have gaps in their experience for various reasons, but they don’t try to hide this from potential employers. So simply address any work history gaps in your cover letter, and be honest regarding the reasons you were not working during a specific period.

Be honest about your accomplishments, since it is futile to try and reinvent yourself by citing events, completed tasks and activities that never took place. Rather than worrying about the qualifications you may not have, be confident in those you do have and highlight your work experience and achievements in a truthful manner. Do not exaggerate skills, professional roles, or stretch the employment dates. Work on presenting yourself and your qualifications in the best possible light.

What a functional resume looks like!

Developing a comfort level with your resume

Take the time to quantify your accomplishments, and compose a positive professional summary for your resume; and revise the document until you feel comfortable that all the information included is truthful and will not raise any questions by a potential employer that you have not addressed in the resume or accompanying cover letter. The rule is: be honest on your resume; so by no means should you include any information that breaks that rule.

Business Owners Should Have Resumes Too


The business owner’s resume

When asked to give their impression of business owners, most normal, everyday people would probably paint a picture of individuals who are always busy dealing with things that pertain to keeping their business profitable and running smoothly; and if you asked them whether or not they believe a business owner needs to have an up-to-date resume, they would probably answer with a resounding “no” which would seem, at first glance, to be the most practical answer; but when you think about it a little more the reverse is actually true.

This is because small business owners – based on the very nature of their standing in the community, as well as the responsibilities they have undertaken – should have an updated resume so they can share their professional experiences with likely investors, potential vendors, prospective clients, and other entities they must deal with in order to operate a credible, trusted and profitable business. In other words having an updated resume is critical for any professional, even if that professional is not in search of a job.

functional resume

A resume for the potentially self-employed

Consider, for example, that you have a viable business idea which might be good enough to start your own business with. In order to take the preliminary steps towards implementing your idea, it is important that you also have a polished, professional, well-written resume which you will need to present – along with your business plan – in order to secure investment dollars for your business and get started. This type of resume should be written as if you are applying to be a business owner of the organization you wish to start.

You might say that this sounds a bit silly, since you would of course be working for yourself; but it’s important for the potentially self-employed to show their investors that they have the professional experience required to run a business of the type being proposed; and their qualifications, career goals, education and prior experience should all be aligned with whatever business venture they are pursuing. But that’s not all, because once you have started your own business, you will come in contact with vendors, independent contractors, and clients who will want to know what you are about before they decide to do business with you.

A resume specific to its recipient

While you can promote your business through a web site, or other advertising media, if you are new to what you are attempting to do, people will want to know about you; so to help convince them of your abilities, you can use a resume to apprise them of your qualifications. Of course you can use the same resume for your vendors and/or clients as you used for your investors; but keep in mind that any financial goals pertaining to the business which may be necessary for your investors, should never appear on the resume or personal letter you send to your clients or business partners.

about resumes, cover letters and interviews

Just take steps to insure that your professional summary is changed to appropriately show how you would service your clients or your vendors; but a statement about client satisfaction would be necessary (enough?) in a resume which you would share with prospective clients. Additionally, as a small business owner, you may have an opportunity to branch out into another business, start a new location of your existing business, partner with another company, or even have an opportunity to go work for a larger company in your field.

Having a resume on hand

In each of these scenarios, you may need an up-to-date resume highlighting your professional and entrepreneurial experience, so it is best to have a prepared resume; and keep updating it or customizing it for specific audiences as necessary. You really should avoid finding yourself in a position of not having a resume when one is requested, or having to develop a resume from a blank page in a short period of time, since this would tend to expose you to appearing unprofessional, and not representing yourself or your business in a professional and serious manner.

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Make no mistake about the importance of this very real item which should be a part of your important document file; because you will definitely want to have a well-written resume that is well well-formatted and error-free even if you do own your own business. In the final analysis, marketing yourself well and marketing your business well, will assure your success as a business owner, whether it’s a sole proprietorship or a larger enterprise.

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