Administrative Job Seekers--Fine Tune Your Resume

In this economy, good jobs are scarcer than feathers in a cuckcoo clock. Sometimes, hundreds of applicants apply for the same administrative position.

While you can't control the economy, you can control your resume. And that means more than just adding a few superlatives to your past job descriptions. Today, many companies use keyword search technology to zero in on the best resumes. The key is to carefully read the job description for the position you're applying for and make sure you address those descriptors. If, for example, the job indicates a need to for advanced computer skills, make sure you add that wording to your past job descriptions.

Another thing to pay attention to is your resume's format. Ideally, you should format your resume so that it highlights the skills, tasks and accomplishments that apply as directly as possible to the administrative position you're going after. It's also not a bad idea to add a qualifications summary at the top of your resume to put your best foot forward. Give prominence to skills like recordkeeping, MS Office applications, multitasking and communications capabilities.

And never forget to mention any direct experience you have with the employer's industry--like entertainment, advertising, law or medical. Finally, if you are fluent in another language or languages, put that at the top of the list. These days, with so many companies dealing with international markets, affiliates and divisions, a foreign language skill can be a real asset.

On a personal note, I've written dozens of resumes for all types of clients and I always try to fine tune the resume to fit the needs of the prospective position.

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