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Tips for Appealing Language
- Know the jargon. Every occupational field has it's own set of words, phrases and even verbs to describe what its work. Understanding and using this language shows a familiarity with the field.
- Use keywords - short phrases, nouns and adjectives that describe abilities, experience and education that can be used to find your resume in a database. Find out which keywords are specific for the industry in which you want to work by using The Dictionary of Occupational Titles or the Occupational Outlook Handbook (available in a library or online at http://stats.bls.gov/oco/oco1002.htm.) to research standard occupational descriptions. Other sources for keywords include job advertisements, recruiters, and job counselors.
- Focus on "hard skills." Descriptors like "strong communicator" and "team-oriented" are considered "soft skills" by human resources professionals. They are often not included in resume database keyword searches. Focus instead on specific abilities or knowledge.
- Point of View. Resumes generally avoid using the first person "I." The most traditional way to accomplish this is to start sentences with verbs. Instead of "I managed, organized and planned . . ." use "Managed, organized and planned . . ."
Avoid generalities. Use nouns and verbs that are as specific as possible, cite specifics when listing accomplishments. "Reorganized sales floor resulting in fifty-percent increase in store revenues over two years," is more effective than, "Reorganized sales floor resulting in increased sales."
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