Step 2: Identifying the P.E.A.K.S. That Interviewers Believe
Are Most Important
Once you have a clear idea as to what the job under consideration re-
ally requires, the next step is to identify the particular P.E.A.K.S. that
the people who will receive your resume are likely to be seeking in can-
didates. The real issue here is not what you would think is important,
but what theythink is important.
If you already have a list of desired P.E.A.K.S. that you prepared
in connection with targeting your portfolio, you can use that list here.
If not, you can use the techniques reviewed in Chapter 3 to generate a
useful list. Be sure to identify the “personal characteristics”that are
highly valued.Step 3: Creating a Targeted Overview for Your Resume
As noted earlier, the “Overview”section in your resume should include
both your professional objective and a brief profile that gives top billing
to your personal characteristics that add value, along with other
P.E.A.K.S. that prospective employers are likely to consider important.
Because it goes at the top of your resume, right after name and ad-
dress information, your overview is your opportunity to make a good
first impression. It should clearly define the kind of opportunity you are
seeking, stated in a way that makes you seem appropriate for the job
you are going after. And, equally important, your “Overview”section
should give a quick synopsis of the P.E.A.K.S. you have that will likely
impress the recipient of this resume, giving particular emphasis to your
personal characteristics that add value.
If you have created a draft of your overview for your master re-
sume, you can rework and refine it in light of the P.E.A.K.S. that you
believe are considered most important for the particular job you are
seeking.Step 4: Identifying the Key Things to Include
from Your Master Resume
If your master resume is in a computer file, you will have the ability to
quickly create a draft of your targeted resume by (1) copying your mas-
ter resume and pasting it into a new document, (2) deleting the items
you don’t want to use, and then (3) editing the rest. Here are some
guidelines for identifying what to include in your targeted resume.Include activities that give evidence of desired P.E.A.K.S.As you
review your work experience, education, and other activities, use your
understanding of desired P.E.A.K.S. as your guideline for selecting the
particular things to include in your targeted resume.
Make sure your resume is sufficiently complete.Certain things are
expected in a resume such as relevant work experienceand at least
something about formal education. If you are using a curriculum vitae
format for your resume, you will be expected to give a complete record
of all of your professional activities, including a list of all of your publi-
cations, major presentations, and professional honors.72 Part I: Building, Using, and Maintaining Your Career Portfolio