Resume Series Part 1 - Before You Write Your Resume

The 3 R’s, Research, Research, Research

These 3 R’s are not about your dear old golden school days. These 3 R’s are about your future, and they all point to one thing - research. Before writing your resume or applying for a job, you must know what the company does, what the position involves, and whether you would be a good fit. In the long run, you may receive an interview because your research will be seen as genuine interest in the company and your future.

Research the Company A company’s website is a great place to start your company research. On a company’s website you should be able to find information on company background, community involvement, special events and executive bios.

Search the company’s local city or county Chamber of Commerce and Better Business Bureau for memberships and reviews. On-line searches should also include social media. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter will prove to be valuable resources.

Research the Position It almost goes without saying…almost. The more you know about the position, the greater the chance you will be able to target your resume to that position and the better you will be able to sell yourself. If possible, see if you can speak with somebody who does the same job. Find out the particulars of the job, if there is any on-the-job training, whether emphasis is placed on experience or education, and how frequent turnover is. Find out what they like about the position and the company, and perhaps more importantly, what they don’t like. Speaking with somebody already in the position can give you valuable insight into the sorts of things that will be asked of you in the interview, as well as day-to-day.

Research Yourself Your goal is not just to find a job. Your goal is to find a job you enjoy. After finding out all you can about the company and the position, make sure it is in line with what you really want to do and where you really want to be. Perhaps just as important, be confident that you are capable of doing a good job in the position. While you may not spend your entire career in this position, it could be the base of your lifetime career. You do not want to find yourself in a situation where you spend too much time doing something you do not enjoy, working with people you do not like, living somewhere you do not want to live, or in a position that is not challenging enough, or worse yet, one you are not capable of doing.