Intangible Benefits of Writing a Resume

Writing a resume is not something to which most people look forward. It is time-consuming and seems to benefit employers more than the people who actually write them. Think about this, though: There is a great deal of itangible benefits to writing a resume FOR YOU.

If you take the time necessary to evaluate your resume and target it to a prospective employer, you also have an opportunity to explore your career plan at the same time. Sure, you want a job. You want a good job. What most people fail to do in the job search process is to get specific about what they want out of a job and whether or not it will lead them to their career goals.

Oh, wait! I just thought of something. Is it possible that most people don't HAVE career goals. I'll get back to this in a little bit.

Do you remember when you were a child and you were asked, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" When I was in 3rd grade, I wanted to be a baseball player. That's a great goal, especially for a boy, but I don't happen to be a boy. Later in life, when I was in high school, I decided I wanted to be an accountant. I took two years of accounting while still in high school (even had to eliminate my lunch time to cram all of the classes in that I wanted) and looked forward to crunching numbers for the rest of my life. That lasted until my first cost accounting class in college. Ick. This is not what I want to be when I grow up.

I found my career path in Human Resources - in helping others find jobs. Now, everything I do is focused on helping others find meaningful employment. I no longer work in Human Resources, but I provide essential information to people who need assistance with resumes, cover letters, the job search process and career planning.

Back to career goals... most people just find jobs. They don't focus on career goals. Taking the time to decide what you want to be when you grow up is essential if you want to achieve any level of success. Where are you going? Are you headed in a positive direction or are you simply working to pay the bills? Sometimes we all have to take jobs that pay the bills. I'm not saying that it's inherently a bad thing. What's important is that the thrust of your career movement must be forward. By forward, I mean toward a goal.

One of the greatest benefits of writing a resume is the reflection it causes into an individual's past. How does your past employment lead you to your future goals? If you want to work as a bank manager, you have to outline the steps you need to take in order to achieve that goal. Don't answer a job posting for a production supervisor job or a teacher's assistant. They may pay the bills, but they don't direct you to your career goals.

Take a look at your resume. What does it say about your career focus? Do you show a logical progression to a career goal?

While writing a resume is mostly to benefit a prospective employer (in determining if you are qualified for a job), it can also provide you with some huge benefits in defining your career path.

Take some time to think through your future goals - then go after them with everything you have within you.

Best wishes for a happy life.

To read more about career planning, click on this link: My Career Planning