The Resume is the first step to a great impression. Make no mistake, your resume carries a lot of weight during the entire firefighter hiring process. I have review 100s of resumes, usually before the interview and after the interview of a candidate. Resumes must be a strong representation of you and consistent with your answers during the interview.
Tips to avoid the 5 Most Common Resume Mistakes
- Your resume is about your future; NOT your past.
2. It is not a confessional. In other words, you don’t have to tell all. Stick to what’s relevant and marketable.
3. Don’t write a list of job descriptions. Write achievements!
4. Promote only skills you enjoy using. Never write about things you don’t want to repeat.
5. Be honest. You can be creative, but don’t lie.
Your Resume Focus
It is a mistake to think of your resume as a history of your past, as a personal statement or as some sort of self expression. Sure, most of the content of any resume is focused on your job history. But write from the intention to create interest, to persuade the department to choose you. If you write with that goal, your final product will be very different than if you write to inform or catalog your job history.
Don’t Write to get a Job
Most people write a resume because everyone knows that you have to have one to get a job. They write their resume grudgingly, to fulfill this obligation. Writing the resume is only slightly above filling out income tax forms in the hierarchy of worldly delights. If you realize that a great firefighter resume can be your ticket to getting exactly the career position you want, you may be able to muster some genuine enthusiasm for creating a real masterpiece, rather than the feeble products most people turn out.
Stand Out During the Interview Process with a Strong Resume
The good news is that, with a little extra effort, you can create a resume that makes you really stand out as a superior candidate for the department you are applying for. Not one resume in a hundred follows the principles that stir the interest of prospective employers. So, even if you face fierce competition, with a well written resume you will stand out during the interview process more often than many candidates more qualified than you.
Take Your Time Developing Your Resume
Set aside at least three hours (that’s an average length of time to complete a resume if all goes smoothly). Before you start, print out the following set of notes and tape it to your computer, on the wall next to your desk, or someplace where you’ll see it throughout the process.
Enclosing take time and write a strong compete resume. I have also written a more in depth post on a firefighter specific resume. Click here to access that post.