by Mary Norman

Created on: August 01, 2008

Looking for a job in the banking industry? Need a dynamic, eye-catching resume package? These proven tips can help you obtain the position you want- whether you are a recent graduate looking to break into the industry or an executive looking to move up in the next phase of your career.

When creating a resume package, one must first understand that it isn't simply a list of your experience and qualifications. It is actually a sales brochure about you! In the fast-paced banking industry, the Human Resources department will be the one to decide whether your resume is worthy of review by the hiring manager. Getting past the "gatekeeper" is easy if you stick to these resume and cover letter standards:

THINK ABOUT IT. Before building a resume and cover letter, take stock of yourself. Understanding who you are and what you want is the first step in creating a professional, powerful resume. Identify past successes, current strengths, overall work style and personal preferences.

TAKE AIM. Bankers, just like anyone else, want to hire the best person for the job. Create a resume and cover letter targeted to the position you are applying for. Focus on transferable experience and include verbiage similar to the job positing.

IDENTIFY KEY STRENGTHS. Make a list of accomplishments and answer the following: What was the challenge, need or situation? What did you do about it? What obstacles did you overcome? What results did you produce? What skills, qualities, abilities, etc. did you demonstrate?

BE HONEST. Make sure job titles, descriptions and dates are accurate. Bankers commonly use outside services to verify your information.

KEEP IT PROFESSIONAL. Banking by nature is a conservative and traditional industry; HR won't think it'S "eye-catching" if you include clip art. Avoid colored paper or type, photographs or clever delivery.

KEEP IT CLEAN. Use margins, indentation, bold type and bullets for a clean, crisp document. Use short sentences and short paragraphs. Balance white space for an organized, attractive appearance.

KEEP IT SIMPLE. Contrary to popular belief, an effective resume is not limited to one page. While most HR representatives don't have time to peruse a 4 page document, a two or even three page resume is fine as long as the information within is relevant.

MIND YOUR P's & Q's. Describe job responsibilities and achievements in the past tense (you've already done it). Choose strong action verbs and don't repeat, e.g. if you've already used "established" utilize a thesaurus

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