For example, resolving conflict among subordinates is a good thing-but it doesn’t show how that ability affects the company’s bottom line.

So what do you do? Leave that skill off your resume? Absolutely not! Instead reword it so it highlights the benefit.

Here’s an example:

Sales Manager

Resolves conflicts among subordinates. Result: Less staff turnover. Company benefit: Money and time saved on training new personnel.

Administrative Assistant

Hired one fast word processor. Result: Eliminated two part-time word processing jobs. Company benefit: Saved department $10,000 in unnecessary wages.

Marketing Director

Split-tested two sales letters against each other for 30 days and found one to improve sales by 25%. Result: Added $20,000 per month in additional profit by switching to the new sales letter.

Give some serious thought as to how you can save money and/or make money for a particular company. At the end of the business day it’s all about bottom line results and what YOU can bring to the table.

There is a time to toot your horn and there is a time to blow it softly. A resume is the time to toot! Speak up for yourself when what you have to offer will be a benefit to the company you hope to work for. Follow the examples above and you’ll see an increase in the requests you receive for quality job interviews.

Keep in mind that few job seekers take time to express their gratitude in writing. A simple ‘thank you,’ ‘I appreciated our meeting today,’ or ‘I’m grateful we had a chance to get together,’ can draw the line between getting hired and being ignored. On which side do you want to land?

Choose right now to write a thank you note in your own handwriting-directly to the hiring manager. Everyone likes to be acknowledged and appreciated. Your follow-up letter will also reveal the kind of person an employer would like to hire–someone who is thoughtful, other-centered, and caring.

You have only one chance to make a great first impression-and a lasting one!

A well-written post-interview cover letter is your passport to excellent job offers.

So make it your best.

A personal note that acknowledges your gratitude is the best way to follow up on every interview. It is a known fact that mail which is addressed to a specific person in the sender’s handwriting will be opened first.

Following is an example of a clear and precise post-interview cover letter that hits the mark:

Dear Hiring Manager:

I really enjoyed meeting you today. Thank you so much for making time for me. I appreciated the tour of your facility, meeting some of your colleagues, and having a chance to see the department where the new candidate will work. It was very kind of you to invite me to explain why I feel I am the best-qualified person to fill the job opening. Your humor and good eye contact put me at ease. I know I’d like working for your company very much. I felt right at home. Please call if you’d like me to return for a second visit. Give me a date and time that work for you and I’ll be there. Again, thank you for meeting with me this afternoon.

Sincerely yours,

Fiona (or Foster) Follow-Up

Take a moment after every job interview to write a post-interview cover letter. Then hang on till the hiring manager follows up with you-inviting you in for a second interview which will likely lead to the job you want.

Here’s what to do:

• Place your name and contact information flush left. Include phone numbers and e-mail address.

• State your objective simply and clearly: A position as a Clothing Store Manager

• Write a short summary of your qualifications: good communicator and leader, friendly personality, knowledgeable about the clothing industry, organized and goal-oriented. Note the clear yet simple wording.

• List your last two jobs, the start and finish dates, name of company or organization, city and state. Write one or two short sentences describing your responsibilities. Example: As assistant store manager my responsibilities included monitoring inventory, conducting new employee trainings, and helping the store manager with day-to-day operations and staffing.

• State your training or education such as: Community College or Community Trade School, the date you finished and the city and state.

• Put down any awards or recognition you received such as: Customer Service Award, the date and the name of the organization that honored you. Example: Retail Professionals of America, Community Service Award.

Remember: PRECISE IS NICE!
A hiring manager receives a large volume of resumes each day. The pile from one day may spill into the next and so the stack grows. He or she has only a few seconds to glance at each resume and make a decision: STASH (for later) or TRASH (for good).

If you want yours to go into the STASH pile for a second viewing, follow the proven suggestions above. Use friendly, clear language that briefly describes your experience and qualifications.

Then send it off and relax. You’ve done your part. Now it’s up to the hiring manager.

However, you can be certain that a well written resume that goes to the heart of what he or she is looking for in a future employee will gain attention and that special phone call or e-mail that says, “Let’s together for an interview. I liked your clear and precise resume.”