Create a Resume That Markets YOU

As a journalist, I'm often asked to review and edit resumes by friends and family. Your resume is an invaluable marketing tool that "speaks" for you, and should compel the hiring manager to act -- namely pick up the phone and invite you to participate in an interview.

It's true that your resume must pique the interest of the person reading it within 30 seconds. In many instances, your resume must first pass through screening software utilized by many companies before it's even read by a human.

While I'm not a certified resume writer or career coach, there are a few tips I've learned along the way that may be helpful to you.

No Dissertations, Please
You've heard the old rule that resumes shouldn't be longer than a single page unless you're a seasoned, senior-level professional with numerous years of experience. I've read other career experts comment that in some cases, it's OK have a resume that's two pages, depending on the position. Now that more resumes are submitted through online systems, it may seem less important to worry about resume length. I think the main point is to make every word count. Think about quality over quantity.

With sky-high unemployment rates, companies can be incredibly selective. Use your resume to sell yourself as the perfect solution for their employment need. Use every word and phrase for this purpose. If it doesn't speak to the needs of the employer, leave it out. Now, I definitely recommend keeping a comprehensive list of your achievements, results and professional experiences somewhere -- whether it be in a CV or a running Word document. Use this document as "bank" of information to draw from when creating and tailoring a resume for each respective company you're pursuing.

Use Key Words

Nowadays many companies require job seekers to apply online and even construct their resume through online forms. It's incredibly important that your resume contain the key words that are used by the company in the job description, posting, etc. Re-read the job description and highlight the specific words and phrases used to describe the company's needs. Review your resume to make sure that it includes these words.

It's Not About You, It's About Them
Hiring managers and company execs don't care how badly you need this job. They don't care that you want to use this position to help develop your skills. They have a need, and you are trying to sell your skills and yourself to fill that need. Adopt this mindset, and consider what you offer them, not what you can get out of them, and you will be more successful. Remember you are not selling the features of your career, but the ways you can benefit the company.

Scrap the Objective, Use a Tagline and Qualifications Profile

Using an objective statement at the beginning of your resume has been a traditional standard. More and more career coaches are encouraging job seekers to re-purpose this section to a qualifications profile. Describe yourself and your attributes in the third person to sell your qualifications to the employer. Come up with a career tagline that "brands" you and use that instead of the traditional heading that says, "Objective," "Summary of Qualifications," or "Career Profile." For example, are you a Bilingual Luxury Brand Manager? Well, say so and use something like that for your headline.

Focus On Results, Not Duties

Your resume shouldn't be a laundry list of your everyday duties, but rather describe the results of your work. Each bulleted item under your career entry should begin with an action word and a key result or achievement, i.e., "Reduced printing costs by 26% through vendor research and negotiation." Use numbers to quantify your success. How many team members did you supervise? How much money did you save the company? By what percent did you increase customer retention?

Be a STAR and Show, Don't Tell

Have you heard about the STAR? It's an acronym for Situation, Task, Action, Result. Use this acronym to help you show your value and structure your success stories, whether it's on your resume, in your cover letter and during the actual interview. Remember it's one thing to say you're a solution-finder, it's another to give a STAR example of how you solved important problems and served as an asset to your organization.

Name That Resume
When you're saving your resume, use your name in the file name, such as "Ashley_Cisneros_Resume.doc" so that way the recipient can easily identify your resume when it's downloaded on his or her computer. Make sure you're easy to find!

Create a Cover Letter
Don't send that resume without a cover letter. It's naked without it. Your cover letter introduces you, complements your resume without simply repeating it, and can be used to draw the manager's attention to the top reasons why you're perfect for the job. Take time to find out the correct spelling of the hiring manager's name. Don't be afraid to call to ask. Show that you go the extra mile. Don't use "Sir or Madam" or worse, "To Whom It May Concern."

Follow Format Preferences
Re-read the job posting to find out the preferences. Does the employer want a resume in PDF form, RTF or as a Word doc? Does the company want writing samples? Does the posting say that the company hates attachments? Pay attention and submit accordingly.

What tips can you share?

Goddess Rising Empowers Women

For the past several months, my friends and I have been raising money to help Roxanne Martinez, a 30-year-old new mother who beat cancer and job loss while pregnant.

Supporters in more than 20 cities hosted fundraisers to benefit Roxy’s cancer treatment fund. Roxy’s younger brothers called the movement, Team Roxy.

When my pal, Yanira Robinson, told me that her Zumba instructors were willing to host a Zumbathon for Roxy in Central Florida, I was thrilled.

When the day of the Zumbathon came along, I (in typical form) had overbooked myself and was exhausted and stressed.

I was supposed to present a resume workshop for a young women’s organization, attend a blogger conference and make it to a magazine launch party on the very same day.

Something had to give, but it wasn’t going to be the Zumbathon.

Within 30 seconds of meeting Yanira’s instructors, Jessica Sanchez and Judy Suarez of Goddess Rising Fitness, I knew I was going to have a blast – and literally work my butt off.

The ladies went all out for Team Roxy. Donned in matching outfits, the instructors kept us dancing and laughing throughout an intense two-hour workout.

I felt the toxins and stress leaving my body and smiled through the burn.

Afterward, we fueled up on delicious sandwiches, fresh fruit, deli meats and cheeses. Not only was Goddess Rising an incredible host, they donated 100 percent of the event proceeds to Team Roxy.

I had to learn more about these amazing women. Like many good stories, this one begins with struggle.

After a successful 11-year retail career, Goddess Rising founder Jessica Sanchez was laid off.

“I remember thinking, ‘Well now what am I going to do?’” Jessica recalls. “I just knew that I never wanted to be dependent on a company ever again.”

That night, Jessica tossed and turned in her bed. Around 1 a.m., she had the answer. Pole dancing fitness.

“I had always wanted to try pole fitness, but never had the time,” Jessica says. “Well, now I had all the time in the world.”

She did her research and found a studio owner to teach her all about pole dancing. Then pregnant, the woman had her baby and went on maternity leave. When she returned, she discovered a new and improved Jessica.

“By this time, my body had started to reflect the time I was spending,” Jessica says.

The studio owner encouraged Jessica to teach pole dancing, which she did for a few months. Before long, Jessica decided to go out on her own.

“I knew that there was nothing like this in Deltona, and I started Goddess Rising with just the clothes on my back,” Jessica remembers.

She bought a few ties, shirts and chairs and began looking for studio space.

After a studio opened near her parents’ home, Jessica stopped in to see if the studio offered ballet classes for her daughter. By the time Jessica left, she had talked the owner into letting her teach a sexy chair dancing class.

“At the beginning, everyone told me, ‘Yeah, I’ll be there! Count me in!’” Jessica says. “But on the first day only one girl showed up.”

Jessica put on a smile and conducted the class for the sole participant, and went home completely disappointed.

But she kept at it, and soon the class started to grow week-by-week.

That’s when Judy Suarez shimmied into the picture.

“She tried the class, and I noticed how great she was at Zumba," Jessica says. "I suggested that she get Zumba certified, and Judy told me she’d consider it.”

Judy turned out to be a go-getter and returned two weeks later as a certified Zumba instructor.

Jessica was elated.

She hired Judy to manage Goddess Rising’s Zumba classes. In about one year, Goddess Rising has grown to 60 members.

In June, Goddess Rising began holding its 15 weekly classes in Studio 13 Dance Academy on Deltona Boulevard.

The name Goddess Rising Fitness was inspired by the goddess rising pole move.

“This is about allowing the goddess inside you and sexy side of your personality to rise confidently,” explains Jessica, who requires that her students dress at some level of sexiness.

Oversized shirts and worn-out sweat pants don’t cut it at Goddess Rising Fitness.

Jessica and Judy have watched the goddess rise from within their students. Lou is one example, Judy says.

“When Lou first started classes, she’d watch us do the moves and say, ‘My butt or my waist doesn’t move like yours,’” Judy says. “Now that she’s been here a year, she brings it!”

Though Lou didn’t intend to lose weight, she returned from a trip to the Keys ecstatic, Judy recalls.

“She came in saying, ‘I have muscles! I have muscles!’ “Judy says.

Another student posted a photo of herself in a bikini and thanked Jessica and Judy for her healthier body.

In addition to helping its students, Goddess Rising has remained active in the community by performing in numerous community festivals and offering Zumbatomic classes for kids.

They are supporting an upcoming Volusia County back-to-school school supplies event and planning for breast cancer awareness month in October.

In the future, they plan to apply for grants to expand Zumba to local schools.

Jessica daydreams about having her own studio, completely equipped with poles.

“With Zumba, you’re having too much fun to realize that you’re working out. You immediately receive the benefits of a healthier heart, and better sleep,” Jessica says. “I don’t know about you, but I’d much rather shake my butt for an hour than run on the treadmill!”

An Evening of Inspiring Women

It was such an honor to attend the Girls Scouts of Citrus Council’s Women of Distinction Awards this past July 29.

Aretha and I pointing at our names on the list of nominees

The annual program celebrates outstanding contributions that women make to improve the quality of life in the community.

Within three minutes of arriving to the event, I reconnected with my pal, Andrea Wesser, a brilliant engineer and Women of Distinction alumna, and met a wonderful new friend, Aretha Olivarez. This amazing woman balances it all as a mom, Navy veteran, culinary artist and entrepreneur.

After 9/11, Aretha was recalled to service and served our country overseas for two years. While there, she became a sharp shooter and authored several books. Aretha and I were both nominated for the Visionary category of the awards, and sat next to each other throughout the entire event.

I told Aretha about my friend Roxanne Martinez, who beat breast cancer and job loss while pregnant. Supporters from all over the country joined together to raise more than $20,000 for Roxy’s cancer treatment fund – an effort that soon became known as Team Roxy. Now that Roxy is beginning the healing process, she is planning to write a book about her experiences. We spoke about possibly creating a non-profit to help women who are fighting breast cancer while pregnant.

Aretha listened intently to my story and told me about her company Multiplying Talents. Guess what she does? Aretha helps not-profits with everything from incorporation to legal help to marketing! In fact, her company’s name is inspired by the parable of the talents in the New Testament, which encourages us to be good stewards of our God-given gifts. I really believe that God puts people in our lives for a reason.

As if the night couldn’t get any better, we were treated to a powerful keynote from Marlo Thomas, award-winning actress and producer, and National Outreach Director for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

Marlo spoke about girl power. She told us that for women, there’s safety in numbers. “If you have only one woman at the table, she's a pest. Two women? That's a team. But three? Now that's a coalition,” she declared.

Later, Marlo related how Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor squashed speculation that women can’t get along when Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg joined the Supreme Court. "It's important to be the first, but it's even more important not to be the last," she said.

Marlo also spoke of treasured interactions with her father, comedian Danny Thomas. When critics kept comparing Marlo to her father early in career, he told her, “I raised you to be a thoroughbred. When thoroughbreds run they wear blinders to keep their eyes focused straight ahead with no distractions, no other horses. They hear the crowd but they don’t listen. They just run their own race. That’s what you have to do."

The following night, Marlo shared that her dad sent a white box to her dressing room before she prepared to take the stage. Inside was a pair of horse blinders with a note from her dad, reminding her to run her own race.

Finally, Marlo told us that her father mentioned two types of people in the world: those who stop for a traffic accident, and those who just drive by.

I want to be the type of person who stops by to help, don't you?