For a Stand-Out Resume, Focus on Your Core Competencies

Do you want your resume to stand out in the pool that floods online databases, human resources files and the overly bombarded table at career fairs? The educated guess answer to these questions is "yes," so why not embrace the idea of a core competency-based resume. It's time to make your resume search friendly and appeasing to a skim reader's delight. If you are an inquisitive person, then you are probably wondering what this exactly means. No need to wonder any further below is the explanation of what you need to get started.

A competency is a written description of measurable work habits and personal skills to achieve a work objective. A Core Competency based resume focuses on highlights of your employment background that provide valuable experience in the specific area of competencies an employer is looking for. Once you review an ad for a job description look for the keywords and skills identified and tailor your resume accordingly. An outstanding core competency based resume always considers the needs of the employer first instead of just listing previous work experience.

Here's a basic start for writing this type of resume

1. What are your strengths? The sooner you discover them the more productive you will become in your career. This will also allow making your
job search more in tune with what you do best instead of applying to something that isn't the best fit.

2. How do your strengths provide value to the position that you are applying for? This immediately helps the employer identify how well you will
fit into their organization.

3. Identify your skills and create a bulleted list which will become your Core Competencies. This is a bold highlight of competencies to be further
discussed in your list of responsibilities for previous positions that you have held.

4. What are your accomplishments as it pertains to your skills? This shows that you not only posses skills but are results orientated. A great way
to think of this is to define a situation; explain your level of responsibility in achieving quantifiable results and then provide details of the outcome
(cost savings, process improvement)

For example, "Manage and track several on going cost savings projects to eliminate non-value-added processes resulting in a positive impact of reducing production cycle time and product costs". It is also important to note that if you have an actual percentage of improvement that is quantifiable then add it the job experience descriptions as well.

5. Create an objective that briefly defines your skills and accomplishments. This should be brief but provide enough information to make the reader remember you.

The following is an example of an objective statement, "High quality Production Manager and Manufacturing Engineering professional with proven people and leadership skills. Results-oriented, decisive leader, with great practical judgment and memory for details with skills in developing process improvements, risk management, lean manufacturing, and working as an enthusiastic team player". This statement says that the individual not only manages but works well within a team to produce results that noticeably improve a production line.

If you are still uncertain about what your competencies are. The following is a list of some primary Core Competencies:

1) Achievement/Results Orientation
2) Initiative
3) Impact and Influence
4) Customer Service Orientation
5) Interpersonal Understanding
6) Organizational Awareness
7) Analytical Thinking
8) Conceptual Thinking
9) Information Seeking
10) Integrity
11) Leadership Skills
12) Project Management
13) Problem Solving and Analysis
14) Presentation and Communication Skills
15) Work as Team Player

Finally in formatting this type of resume your name, address and contact information should be at the top followed by an objective or summary statement. Next, should be a bulleted list of your core competencies in the middle/center section of your resume. Your work experience should follow the list of core competencies. The core competencies should also be apart of the descriptions in your work experience. If you say you are a team player then be able to show this in the previous positions that you have held. Also, add a training section any certifications or software tools that are beneficial to the position being applied for. Lastly, add an education section.

Overall, thousands of resumes are flooding job search networks so it's important that you create a brand that makes you the most marketable. Core Competencies is a great measuring tool for employers to identify the strongest applicant to possibly improve their business. If that person is you make sure your resume says that you are and that person shows up prepared for the interview. Once you receive an offer make sure you are ready to get the job done and deliver the results you promised in your resume. .