Pongo Resume

Right across the hall from my department, there are seven full-time Pongo customer support specialists who are all CPRWs (certified professional resume writers). Maybe you’ve even contacted them. They talk to hundreds of our job seeking customers every day, offering account help, job search advice, resume and cover letter assistance, interview tips, and whatever else a job seeker might need (except a paycheck… sorry).

I sat in on their recent team meeting, and asked what tips they give out the most. It was pretty amazing how quickly the answers came flying out. Here's a list of their top tips:

7 Tips from 7 CPRWs

1. “A resume isn’t supposed to be a history of your old jobs. It’s supposed to be a marketing document to promote you as the best candidate for the job you want.”
    
2. “Keep your resume short and sweet—if it’s not relevant to the job you want, leave it out.”
    
3. “If you have experience in the field you’re applying for, don’t use an Objective; use a Summary of Qualifications.”
    
4. “Spell checkers. Use them, but don’t trust them. Always have someone else proofread your resume and cover letter.”
    
5. “Bullet lists are easier to read than paragraphs.”
    
6. “Don’t use the words I, me, or my in your resume.” 
    
7. “In your Experience section, start each bullet point with a verb—use present tense for a job you’re still working in, and past tense for past jobs.”

Do you have other questions about resumes, cover letters, interviews or job search best practices? Post a comment below, or send your question to @Ask_Pongo on Twitter and get a reply from our customer support team!

RELATED LINKS
50 Action Words for Your Resume
Hiring Managers Look for Related Experience First
Quiz: Are You Smarter than a Spell Checker?

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During the last ten years, I worked as a recommendation specialist for families with children who had developmental disabilities. I also fundraised for this charity. Although I enjoyed the work, it was done on a volunteer basis and I am not interested in pursuing this further.

How do I handle the fact that I want them, to focus on the pharmaceutical sales background, but that I am also proud of the accomplishments with the charity? Need the pharma sales to stand out.

I think the key is to communicate your pharmaceutical expertise in the Summary of Qualifications, which goes above the Experience section, AND to explain your situation in your cover letter.

I’m making up the details, but here’s an idea of how the Summary might start:

"Pharmaceutical sales expert and 2-time winner of XX Award with 8 years’ experience selling anticoagulants and thrombolitics to cardiovascular specialists throughout the mid-Atlantic region"

In the cover letter you can communicate similar information about your pharma sales experience, and also explain that you are looking to return to that sales field after several years of vounteer work, as you explained above.

When describing your volunteer role, stay focused on the skills that are relevant and transferable to pharmaceutical sales.

For instance, don’t focus on fundraising, because that’s not a skill a salesperson needs. But do focus on the way your volunteer role honed your customer service skills and listening skills, and your ability to overcome objections.

Remember, employers don’t really want to know what you used to do, they want to know how your past roles made you qualified to fulfill their present needs.

Realistically, in this market, where employers typically have a lot of qualified candidates for each opening, you might need to accept a transitional role in the pharmaceutical field, to get your foot back in the door and renew your skills and knowledge.

Since you've been out of the job market for 10 years, I'd recommend you click around this blog to find other information about how to succeed in today's job search climate, when it comes to resumes, cover letters, and interviews. And if you're a Pongo member, feel free to contact our Customer Support team with any questions -- they're all certified resume professionals!

Hope that helps! Good luck and happy new year!

Julie

Best regards

Good luck, Cal!

Learn to analyze the keywords that employers offer help wanted ads and job descriptions is a key element in creating powerful resumes. For example, read the ad Roger found an Accounts Receivable Manager below and see how many keywords, phrases, or skill descriptions that includes it.

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