As you can see, using key skill headings significantly elevated Marilyn’s image and focused employers on her top skills--not weak job titles. Marilyn used my booklet, Proven Resumes: Strategies That Have Increased Salaries and Changed Lives to create her new resume. It includes over 2,500 skills and sample sentence lists for 22 industries including a skill and sample sentence list for Management positions. Since many job seekers have held a variety of jobs from diverse industries, almost every job seeker finds at least 2 skill lists that match their backgrounds.

Using numbers to describe achievements and quantify was also another very important reason that Marilyn’s new resume was so effective. This strategy has been thoroughly discussed in resume books. Still many job seekers do not understand how to use this technique to control and elevate their image. To help job seekers write strong resume content that elevates their image, I developed 12 questions. For example, the second question is, "Will using numbers to describe the company or department you worked for expand your image?" If you look again at Marilyn’s after resume, you can see how we answered this question in each line of her resume.

To assist readers even further, I have provided supplemental questions to add depth to each of the 12 Questions. For example, when answering the question, "Will using numbers to describe the company or department you worked for expand your image?" here are a few items to consider describing (the booklet includes about 50 more items to consider when answering the 12 Questions):

$9,000 Salary Increase
The first resume workshop in this site shows how Fran's after resume resulted in a $9,000 salary increase.  Fran wanted a $33,000 Corporate Customer Representative job but her resume created an image of her being at a $20,000 to 24,000 salary level -- that's $9,000 to $13,000 beneath her goal.

What Level Does Your Resume Market You At?
If you are curious to see what level your resume is marketing you at … then be sure to read and use the graphing techniques in my first workshop.  By graphing the job titles used in Fran's resume it's easy to see why her resume failed … and once you understand this … you will understand why the majority of resumes fail.  You'll then understand how to analyze your job titles and see if you are better off using them or replacing them with skill headings that market you more effectively. 

Most People Have Job Titles that Weaken Their Image
I estimate that at least 85% of all job seekers have job titles unrelated to their current career goals … and that they are much better off using skill headings rather than job titles to land higher salaries and double and triple their interview rates.

For example, Fran had been a Directory Operator but in most people's minds that doesn't sound like she's at the level of a Corporate Customer Representative making $33,000 … that's because most people don't view directory operators as providing true customer service.  Most people say that Directory Operator sounds like someone making only $20,000.  However, by using the 12 Questions in my Proven Resumes Series, Fran wrote a new description of her duties as a Directory Operator that described her being selected out of 100 Directory Operators to provide specialized Customer Service to the Governor's Office and Political Dignitaries in the Washington State Capitol … now that information begins to change our image of Fran doesn't it?  That makes her sound much more like someone being able to command $33,000. 

Which sounds like a better match for the $33,000 Corporate Customer Service Representative goal… her old job title of Directory Operator  … or a skill heading like Customer Service Representative to State of Washington Account.  In Fran's actual resume we used the heading of Customer Service Representative but you can see how you can play with skill headings to control and elevate your image … this is one strategy I explain in detail with examples throughout my book, Proven Resumes: Strategies That Have Increased Salaries, and one of the strongest things I can offer you as a resume writer … just in case you don't have the time or patience to write your own.

Going from 0% to 100% Interview Rate
By using skill headings that matched her goal, Fran went from a 0% interview rate to a 100% interview rate -- meaning none of her prior resumes had landed an interview but her new resume landed an interview for each position she applied for.

Click here to learn other ways we improved Fran's resume and landed her a job paying $9,000 more click here to read my first set of resume workshops!  If you've entered my site via this page, be sure to go to my home page for an overview of more than 60 Free Resume & Job Search Workshops that include tons of Resume Tips for 45 Career Fields, Job Search, Electronic Resume, Cover Letter, Interviewing, Networking and Confidence Building strategies. 

The testimonials at the top of this page and throughout my site describe salary increases ranging from $10,000 to $30,000 and more.  Here's one of my most recent ones: 

In Summary
To maximize resume success, first identify key skills that match the jobs you want. Then use job titles and skill headings that create an image that matches the salary and responsibility level you desire. Use numbers to quantify and paint a descriptive picture of your responsibilities as Marilyn’s resume demonstrates. As you’ve seen, these strategies generate more interviews and higher salary offers.

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