This video resume guide was prepared for independent contractors, project managers and independent consultants to review resume objectives and create a professional resume.

A common mistake many professionals make is to assume that their resume alone will get them the job they’re after. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Always remember rule #1: You are not your resume! You are a walking, talking, interactive human resource who, while in an interview, needs to demonstrate several things: namely, 1. the ability to sell yourself to a potential employer, and 2. the capacity to think on your feet, which means demonstrating that you can be both ‘effective’ and ‘receptive’ at the same time as we discussed in Interview Skills for Left Brained Individuals.

Think of it this way: your professional resume is your personal emissary or agent. A vital element of your Marketing YOU Package, it comes through the door of your interview and speaks to your recruiter or potential employer well before you do. As such, your resume objectives is to show off your abilities in the best light possible so that you can bring all the information in it to life during an interview. And, your professional resume is only one element in the complete ’package’ that is you. In Marketing yourself, one way to step up your game significantly is for you to differentiate between you as a person – and you as a corporate entity (that is, of course, only if you have made the wise business decision to incorporate). If you aren’t already familiar with the huge benefits of self incorporation, or perhaps are new to Canada and unaware of them, you can find out more about it by visiting www.CA4IT.com. There’s plenty of helpful information there. Better still, call CA4iIT today and make an appointment to see a representative. It could be one of the smartest business moves you’ve ever made.

But right now, let’s get back to your resume. I’m going to say something that may or may not go over very well at first – but maybe you’ll meet me half way. Let’s see! Your resume should be ALIVE.

Sound weird? Not if you look at it this way: try visualizing each position you apply for as a locked door, and your professional resume is the key that will unlock it: it needs to be the right shape, size and quality for that particular lock, and will likely require modification or even a completely new design for the next. Job descriptions from position to position are rarely identical – especially for those that require an individual to ‘wear many hats’. Usually just modifying the top section of the resume is the only upkeep required, however modifications, such as rearranging of categories or headers, replacing certain keywords or key phrases or restructuring employment details, may also be necessary to create a resume that is a perfect ‘fit‘ for the job at hand.The word ‘resume’ comes from the French word ‘resumer’ which means ‘to summarize’. It should therefore be a concise summary of your experience, knowledge and accomplishments to date.

Your resume should be a well written and presented synopsis of your assets, experience and attributes. It shouldn’t read like a  PHD dissertation, nor on the flip side of the coin, a rough sketch. Putting it another way, verbosity is verboten: that means you should avoid going on and on in a resume about yourself, or in an interview for that matter. Always keep it clean, simple and to the point. Other things are often overlooked in resumes that can be disastrous: for example typos, spelling errors, grammar or syntax mistakes, using hard to read fonts, using cheap, white paper, or printing with a low quality printer or settings.

Pay attention to the envelope – it should match your stationary, and have nothing else on it but the name of the person who’s doing the hiring and their title – spelled correctly. Check and double check this small point and you’ll potentially save yourself quite a bit of grief – nobody likes having their name misspelled – especially a potential boss.

Remember: it’s important to take the time to update your professional resume when you have new accomplishments or experiences to add to it while the facts are fresh in your mind. Time obscures the memory, so make sure you get it down on paper before it flies out of your head. And before you submit your resume, make sure that all the information in it is absolutely correct and up to date: I know too many job candidates that have lost job opportunities because they have forgotten to update their address and contact info!

To view other videos in the “Marketing You” Video Series about marketing yourself to employers and recruiters please view Introduction to Marketing You, Success and Creative Visualization, 60 Second Pitch,  Job Interview Tips, Resume Writing and Resume Cover Letters videos. The next video in this series is Resume Writing Tips for Professional Resumes Video 2.

You may also want to download one of our Marketing You FREE E-books or visit our vast Resources Section including Tax Tip Videos and the Interview Coach articles.