A large number of job seekers have a variety of job experiences and job titles that do not necessarily relate to the types of positions they want to be hired for. Therefore, it's very important that job seekers learn to identify transferable skills that market them as well-rounded, highly qualified employees. I'll use Melissa as an example. She had been a Receptionist, Administrative Assistant, Deli Worker and Production Worker. But she had also gained experience setting up and managing websites. She then decided she would like to move into a position as a Website Designer. As you can see, most of her job titles do not promote her well as a Web Designer, yet these positions had given her a range of skills that were transferable to skills needed as a Web Designer.

For example, as a Receptionist she managed the office when the owners were out of town, coordinated with customers and provided departmental support to management staff. As an Administrative Assistant she worked directly with the Vice President of Operations managing and completing a variety of special projects. She also gained extensive computer experience in this position. As a Deli Worker and Production Worker she had to meet ongoing, daily production deadlines - which is also required of Web Designers who constantly upgrade and redesign websites. Take a moment and review a section from Melissa's after resume.

Do the descriptions shown above, paint an entirely different picture of Melissa's skills and abilities than her actual job titles of Receptionist, Administrative Assistant, Deli Worker and Production Worker? You can see that by identifying and labeling her transferable skills such as: Project Management, Departmental Coordination, Computerized Applications and Meeting of Production Quotas--that Melissa presents a well-rounded and well-qualified image.

$9,000 Salary Increase
The first resume workshop in this site shows how Fran's after resume resulted in a $9,000 salary increase. Fran wanted a $33,000 Corporate Customer Representative job but her resume created an image of her being at a $20,000 to 24,000 salary level -- that's $9,000 to $13,000 beneath her goal.

What Level Does Your Resume Market You At?
If you are curious to see what level your resume is marketing you at … then be sure to read and use the graphing techniques in my first workshop. By graphing the job titles used in Fran's resume it's easy to see why her resume failed … and once you understand this … you will understand why the majority of resumes fail. You'll then understand how to analyze your job titles and see if you are better off using them or replacing them with skill headings that market you more effectively.

Most People Have Job Titles that Weaken Their Image
I estimate that at least 85% of all job seekers have job titles unrelated to their current career goals … and that they are much better off using skill headings rather than job titles to land higher salaries and double and triple their interview rates.

For example, Fran had been a Directory Operator but in most people's minds that doesn't sound like she's at the level of a Corporate Customer Representative making $33,000 … that's because most people don't view directory operators as providing true customer service. Most people say that Directory Operator sounds like someone making only $20,000. However, by using the 12 Questions in my Proven Resumes Series, Fran wrote a new description of her duties as a Directory Operator that described her being selected out of 100 Directory Operators to provide specialized Customer Service to the Governor's Office and Political Dignitaries in the Washington State Capitol … now that information begins to change our image of Fran doesn't it? That makes her sound much more like someone being able to command $33,000.

Which sounds like a better match for the $33,000 Corporate Customer Service Representative goal… her old job title of Directory Operator … or a skill heading like Customer Service Representative to State of Washington Account. In Fran's actual resume we used the heading of Customer Service Representative but you can see how you can play with skill headings to control and elevate your image … this is one strategy I explain in detail with examples throughout my book, Proven Resumes: Strategies That Have Increased Salaries, and one of the strongest things I can offer you as a resume writer … just in case you don't have the time or patience to write your own.

Going from 0% to 100% Interview Rate
By using skill headings that matched her goal, Fran went from a 0% interview rate to a 100% interview rate -- meaning none of her prior resumes had landed an interview but her new resume landed an interview for each position she applied for.

Click here to learn other ways we improved Fran's resume and landed her a job paying $9,000 more click here to read my first set of resume workshops! If you've entered my site via this page, be sure to go to my main website's home page for an overview of more than 60 Free Resume & Job Search Workshops that include tons of Resume Tips for 45 Career Fields, Job Search, Electronic Resume, Cover Letter, Interviewing, Networking and Confidence Building strategies.

The testimonials throughout my site describe salary increases ranging from $10,000 to $30,000 and more. Here's one of my most recent ones:

In Summary
As you work on your resume, keep in mind the skills that you posses that are transferable and combine them with your primary job skills. This strategy will present you as better qualified.

If you need additional help identifying your transferable skills and labeling them with strong skill headings, you may want to consider purchasing my booklet series, Proven Resumes: Strategies That Increase Salaries. It will take you through the steps that Melissa followed to create the transferable skill headings she used in her resume as well as statements like those shown above.

This booklet series is targeted for job seekers with a salary range of up to $100,000+ and provides over 2,000 skills, skill headings and sample sentences for over 40 career fields including a list of transferable skills and sample sentences. It also provides extensive resume examples and worksheets to help you identify your skills and market them to match the jobs you want. For a complete description click on the link below.

http://www.free-resume-tips.com
Phone: 425-398-7378
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