Scotsman Guide - February 2009 Residential Edition

How to Write a Résumé to Remember

Following nine tips often will help you paint a picture of yourself and the value you bring

By Russell Jipson, executive recruiter, and Beth Wilson, human-resources manager, Residential Finance Corp.

Not long ago, mortgage companies struggled to fill expanding departments with skilled sales professionals. The real estate market was hot, and the mortgage business was even hotter. Many people were attracted to the industry, but they often jumped in headfirst.

Today, few companies are hiring, and even fewer have plans for growth. Many thousands of the best mortgage professionals — and the worst — are now unemployed and wondering what to do next. Even brokers currently employed face the looming possibility that a layoff could hit them when they’re least-prepared. Is it wise to stay and try to find another job in the mortgage industry? Or is it wiser to seek a position elsewhere?

With so many experienced and talented people in market, the task of standing out from the crowd can be difficult. Complicating this is the fact that most people have a difficult time “selling themselves” on paper.

No matter what boat you’re in, it’s imperative to make your résumé stand out from the crowd. Many résumés reflect prior employers, dates worked and basic details such as education, position applied for and contact information. But yours should paint a picture of who you are and the value you bring. Emphasize your strengths, skills and accomplishments to help employers understand how you could bring similar value to their organization.

The following nine tips can help you compose a résumé that best represents you and your skills — no matter where you apply.

1. Remember the ABCs of résumé basics: A is for aesthetics. Your résumé should be aesthetically pleasing and easy on the eyes. Visual appeal, a proper balance between text and bullets, clear organization, and professional presentation are key.

B is for being honest. Never lie or exaggerate about your skills, achievements or education.

C is for contact information. Use a professional e-mail address and ensure all contact information is valid and visible on all pages, in case they are separated.

2. List your successes by quantifying tangible results: List key accomplishments by including noteworthy numbers and statistics that illustrate your achievements. Instead of saying: “Implemented senior-level initiatives and managed completion,” try: “Implemented and managed senior-level initiatives that directly increased productivity levels by 200 percent, reduced cycle times by 425 percent and improved quality ratings by 170 percent through process re-engineering.”

3. Be specific about your experience, using facts and figures: Actions speak far louder than words, especially on your résumé. These examples speak volumes:

■ Management: “Managed 350 front-end staff nationally.”

■ Sales: “Generated 1,200 referrals in first year while closing an average of eight loans per month, compared to company average of four loans per month.”

■ Training: “Developed training programs for software and hardware for end-users that included training more than 7,000 sales

Russell Jipson is executive recruiter, and Beth Wilson is human-resources manager, for Residential Finance Corp. A former loan officer for the company, Jipson is a graduate of Ohio State University. Wilson has more than 20 years’ experience in recruiting, employment and human resources. Reach Jipson at jipsonr@myrfc.com and Wilson at wilsonb@myrfc.com.

agents; training resulted in 98-percent fewer support requests and a 12-percent increase in information-technology security.”

4. Put success in dollar terms that show the net impact on the business: If you can’t quantify in dollars, use percentages to paint a vivid picture of your achievements. Instead of saying, “Negotiated 30-percent savings on vendor costs,” try, “Negotiated 30-percent savings off vendor-marketing costs. This translated to $55,000 savings per month, which was reinvested in revenue-generating marketing that yielded $4.4 million in incremental revenue.”

5. Make employers’ jobs easier: One example is to include a list of references on a separate page, featuring quotes from prior employers, co-workers, subordinates and even vendors — with the contact information for each. This can make you appear organized — you likely will be anticipating the potential employers’ needs — and your reference list can build instant credibility.

6. Never send your résumé with a generic cover letter: Personalize the letter to demonstrate that you’ve taken the time to research the company.

Are you a perfect fit? Highlight how your previous position was similar, some of the issues you faced and how you overcame them.

Your experience doesn’t fit the position? Draft a personalized cover letter that clearly outlines how your experience will transfer beneficially to the position for which you’re applying. Don’t assume the reader will figure it out otherwise.

7. Don’t provide a “laundry list”: Instead of offering the standard list of skills, show examples of how and when you applied those skills in previous jobs or projects. Include beneficial results. For example: “Used Excel to create pivot tables to provide executive-management team a dynamic view of performance-results data that allowed for ‘on-the-fly’ manipulation to see which factors affected pull-through rates.

Used this information to develop key performance indicators and measured against those monthly to achieve 13-percent fallout reduction in three months.”

8. State who you are: Be creative and describe yourself without using clichéd résumé phrases. You might want to include a quote that defines or motivates you. This shows your working style and defines your work philosophy. For example, broker applicants could include a quote from a motivational speaker whom they found compelling.

When appropriate, consider including a short list of your favorite books and why they are relevant. This shouldn’t be long, but it can let employers know that you’re an avid reader as well as motivated, career-focused and aware of the importance of personal development.

9. Follow up: Unless an organization requests otherwise, it’s often worthwhile to follow up after submitting a résumé. But do it with finesse.

The general rule is to place one follow-up call, one personalized follow-up note via postal mail, and one follow-up e-mail sent no later than a week after. Don’t call repeatedly; you never know what’s happening on the other side of the phone and what other issues the employer is handling.

Once your résumé makes it to the “yes” pile, be prepared for a thorough screening. Remember, practice makes perfect; be sure you are well-prepared. This includes showing genuine interest in the company and the position, verifying the name and contact information of the individual contacting you and asking about the next steps in the process.

It might help to think of the process in terms of a sale. The employer is the buyer, and you are the seller and the product. Can you make a compelling case for the value that this product can offer the buyer and the benefits it will provide?