Overview
A resume is a two page door opener that concisely summarizes your career, emphasizing the last two or three years of your employment history (your most marketable skill set). An effective resume positions you as an effective business problem solver. In short, a winner.

With each career step listed in your resume, the three key words are always: charter (a description of the business problems you solve on a daily basis); scope (how large a staff do you manage? How large of a budget?); and, accomplishments (increased revenues, increased profits, defined new successful products, etc.). Accomplishments are especially important to list. Our definition of an accomplishment is: the solution to a business problem that you thought of and implemented, and to which you can quantify the results (profits, revenue, etc.).

A two page resume, with plenty of white space (for ease of reading), is appropriate. Do not try to cram 20 years of experience onto one page with a tiny font (it won't be read). Three or more pages is too long (it won't be read, either).

A resume consists of the following sections:

1. Contact Information
   Contact Information: Your name, address, telephone numbers, email address, etc.
2. Objective
   We do not advocate that an objective be included in a resume. Objectives are either so general in nature that they say little; or they are so specific, that you limit the positions that you may be considered for. The proper place to state your career objective is in a cover letter or a telephone conversation.
3. Summary
   • Skill Summary-One or two sentences that concisely summarizes your skills and most outstanding attributes. Example: A Senior Marketing Executive with a proven track record in leading and managing large staffs that include Product Management, Product Marketing, and Marketing Communications functions. Especially knowledgeable of RBOC, Telco, Carrier, CLEC and ILEC markets.
   • Technical Summary-One or two sentences summarizing the technologies that you are most familiar with. Example: Optical Networking, Cable Networking, HDSL, and SONET.
4. Education
   If your educational background is outstanding, list it here. If not , place it toward the end of the resume. List your most recently earned degree first, using the following format:
   • MBA, Harvard University School of Business, 1992
     Concentration in Finance.
   • BSEE, summa cum laude, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 1980
     Concentration in Computer Science.
5. Career History
   • List your most recent, or current company first. If you have had more than one position within the same company, list the time line for each position. Example:
     • XYZ Corporation, Milpitas, CA, 1992-Present
       Vice President of Marketing, 1996-Present
   • Next, write a one or two sentence summary describing your overall responsibilities, or charter, in this position. Example: Reporting to the General Manager, manage and direct all Product Management, Product Marketing and Marketing Communications functions for all Wide Area Networking products, including dial modems, bridging and routing products and related software, totaling $500M in revenue. Staff includes eight direct reports 150 subordinates.
   • Next, in bullet form, list four or five significant accomplishments, expressed in quantifiable terms. Example:
     • Member of Executive Team that defined global five-year plan to double company size through acquisitions and internal growth.

     • In conjunction with Vice President of Engineering, redefined Program Management Process, resulting in a 25% reduction in time to market period.
     • Developed partnerships with three key RBOCs, resulting in a $58M increase in 1998 revenues.
     • Increased international sales by 34%

     Senior Director, Business Development, 1990 to 1996 Established and managed this group chartered with identifying, qualifying and securing all third-party relationships, including partnerships, OEM deals, mergers and acquisitions.

     • Provide Senior Management, Product Management, and Marketing with competitive analysis and strategies for utilizing third parties for product enhancements, definition of next generation requirements and "make-buy" decisions.
     • Built group to five subordinates.
     • Established three major OEM deals, two partnerships and one joint development deal. These relationships resulted in $54M in direct revenues.
     • Significantly increased company's presence in the router marketplace.

     Since the marketplace is ever changing, the most "marketable" aspects of your career are the most recent two or three years of experience. Your resume should reflect this. With each succeeding listing, you follow the same format as described above, with fewer accomplishments listed in bullet form.

     Example, continuing the same resume:

     Fast Router Corporation, Southborough, MA, 1986-1990 Director, Product Management, Wide Area Networking Products Managed a group of four product managers, responsible for the definition, positioning, pricing and technical field support of all broadband access products.

     • Brought three new products through entire product life cycle, resulting in a 125% increase in revenues over previous product line and doubling the installed base.
     • Wrote white papers, and developed technical content of all marketing collateral, company website and 22 city Seminar Series.
     • Participated in several prestigious panel discussions regarding the future of Wide Area Networking.

     Earlier career listings may be described in the format below. Remember, you save the most detail for your most recent two or three years experience.

     Ultrafast Products Corporation, Boxborough, MA, 1983-1986
     Senior Product Manager, Terminal Server Products

     • Brought third generation terminal server product family to market, resulting in a 59% increase in product revenues. Retired second generation product line.

     ICONnectivity Corporation, Washington, DC 1980-1983
     Product Manager

     • Provided business management for the company's 25 plus IBM interconnect products.

     Publications: Listed in sequential order, most recent publication listed first.

     Additional Information:Hobbies, Memberships, etc. are acceptable. Marital Status is not.

6. Summary
   • A resume is a concise, two-page door opener that portrays you as a business problem solver.
   • The key words to keep in mind when formatting a resume are charter, scope and accomplishments.
   • An accomplishment is the solution to a business problem that you thought of and implemented and can be expressed in quantifiable terms.
   • The most marketable part of your portfolio/skill set is your most recent two or three years of experience. Your resume should, however, show that you have been a winner throughout your career.
   • A well-written, two page resume that includes plenty of white space, is much preferred over a one-page resume that is "short" on white space and "long" on content.
   • An Objective does not belong in a resume. State your objective in either a cover letter or a telephone conversation.