Lessons to learn from resume examples

© Copyright Roy Miller, All Rights Reserved.

Don't just copy a sample resume! Kiss of death, let me tell you. That said, an example resume, either a free one or one you paid for (and you really almost never have to pay for one, unless you choose to) can be a fantastic tool.

One of the best resume writing examples I ever learned about writing resumes was from a former manager of mine. He let me take a peek at his resume one day. It was the best resume I had ever seen!

I wanted to make mine look like his, but I wasn't about to ask him for a copy so I could swipe it. Instead, I kept the picture of his "sample resume" in my head and rewrote/restructured my own to be more in line with it.

Not being able to see his resume to copy it directly was the best thing that ever happened to me in my resume writing life. That's because it taught me the five essential lessons to learn from a sample resume:

1. Does its organization flow well? If so, you may have a potential model.
2. Does the person quantify his experience well? Learning new ways to do that well is always a good investment of your time.
3. Does the career history build nicely over time? It's always good to learn how to do this well, especially if you have a gap in your resume.
4. Is the format appealing? Remember, you want your resume to stand out, so an appealing (although not cute or gimmicky) format is essential.
5. How does the resume start? It's always a good idea to get off on the right foot. Being able to tailor the beginning based on different jobs/careers you're targeting is a vital skill.

Any sample resume can help you learn one or more of these lessons. Just remember that that's what a sample resume is for. Learn the lessons, then apply them for yourself.