Creating a Resume - Tips and Tricks

Notes from a "How to Create a Resume" Workshop by Grant Byington, writer extraordinaire:

• Headhunter=coaches on what to do ‘bout jobs
  Have RELIABLE contact information (correctly-spelled name, reliable telephone number, etc.)
• Resume=contact information
• Contains:
• Name that you want to be called
• Experience
• Recognition and awards= attention grabbers
• (have all achievements and experience remembered and know what happened. Only list achievements and experience you know how to talk about)
• Be sincere, authentic, and straightforward
• SELL YOURSELF
• Resume gets you in the room, is with you at the table and stays in the room after you leave.
• Does NOT contain:
•  A page of goals in the workplace (i.e. how much you want to get paid)  A page of fabrications (i.e. Lying about awards and work experience)
•   A page of contact information for references
•    Do not contain a reference sheet if the workplace doesn’t require it
• If they do require a reference sheet, then print and have one on a separate piece of paper, titled, “Reference Sheet”, not on the resume.
• Do NOT lie in the interview
• Have 2 different resumes
• Chronological resume- lists thing according to work history (by date, most recent first)
• Functional resume-highlights of work history arranged in a way that appeals to the person hiring (i.e. have a functional resume for being an actor. The work experiences that relate to being an actor should be at the beginning)
• Curriculum vitae- Education and what you’ve learned, the classes taken, the certificate or awards in any special interests. History of school and classes.
• Have a “presence” in the community in which you are trying to find a job
• 80% of the people who get jobs get it through the “side door”
• Side door of a company=somebody knows you. You’ve got connections.
• “Somebody knows someone who has an aunt who knows the boss.” 
• Put yourself out there. Be out there, be present and authentic.
• You can develop a persona that is your “writing self”, separate from actual self.
• Make the resume ONE SHEET OF PAPER, front and back.
• For acting resumes- don’t have more than 10 characters/plays
• “References available upon request”, have a list of references.
• Choose one font, white paper, black ink, prominent name and contact information

Check out Grant Byington and his blog: http://www.grantbyington.com/