by Cody Hodge

Created on: April 17, 2009

Writing a resume is easy. A resume is just a one page document that lists all the places that you have worked, and what you did while you were there. Writing a great resume is harder, because you have to list all the things you did, and all the places that you worked, and somehow make that translate into something that makes an employer want to hire you. How do you make that happen for you?

You know, the more I watch The Simpsons, the more I am amazed at what I learn from watching the show. I was watching an episode last night where Marge was applying for a job at the power plant. She was typing her resume, and all she wrote was "Homemaker: 1980 to Present." That sounds dull, and would anybody want to hire someone who sounds as if she has done nothing but raise kids for a decade?

Lisa then took the resume, and added all the things that she did as a homemaker. Instead of just being a homemaker, she was a seamstress, a chauffeur, a nanny, and a teacher. With all those skills on her resume, who wouldn't want to hire her?

What is my point? My point is that don't just say that you spent five years working at Taco Bell, and then went to college, and then want a job with the company you are interviewing for. What did you do at Taco Bell that helped you in your life, or what skills did you learn? You probably would have learned how to deal with people, and learned how to use your skills to help motivate staff, or maybe increase sales.

What did you do in college? Did you become class president, did you get a really high GPA? When you were in school, did you meet someone that might help you get the job? What about going to college is supposed to impress the person that you are interviewing with?

That is what a good resume will do for you. It won't just tell people what you have done, it will demonstrate how those skills will help translate to a successful stint with the company. A good resume also says that you know how to get the job done, and know what people are looking for before you even walk in the door. A good resume is a huge plus for you, as it gives a great first impression.

Since a first impression is extremely critical when interviewing for a job, make sure that you resume stands out from the crowd. Nobody wants to see the resume where your goal is to get a management job when you haven't worked in three years, and your last job was as a cashier. Unless that is you have a killer resume that explains what you have been up to for the past three years. Your resume is your first chance to talk to an employer, so make sure that you use your words wisely.

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