A few words on Resumes…
Over the years, we have seen literally hundreds of resumes, representing virtually every role within the mortgage banking industry there is. Typically, they are 3-4 pages in length and have carefully crafted sections entitled “Objective” or “Summary of Qualifications” included. Sometimes, well meaning candidates will list (in paragraph form) two to three pages describing all the areas they have been involved in and accomplishments achieved in great detail…the last page generally lists only the companies they have worked for, title and dates.
The formats described above while common, are not those MSA recommends. While most professionals “have” a resume, very few know how to put one together that works for them. Your resume is a critical document when looking for a new opportunity. It is often times the single thing that will determine whether you will get to the interview stage or receive a “we’ll keep your information on file” response. Your resume serves as your introduction to a potential employer – first impressions count.
MSA Resume Services…
MSA offers Resume Services for a fee of $499.00 per resume. We know what works and more importantly, what doesn’t. In order for your resume to be professionally drafted, we will need the following information from you:
Personal data – Home address, phone, cell phone, and email address. Don’t include your business email if they are screened; if you don’t have a “personal” email address, create one with Hotmail or one of the other email servers.
Employment History – Include the companies you have worked for, your titles, dates, and location of the company (city) going back at least 15 years. For each position, include a few paragraphs about your responsibilities with each position.
Accomplishments – This is an important part of any successful resume. Include awards, company recognition and accomplishments. (For example, “President’s Club Member every year since 2003…” or “Most Profitable Region in 2005 and 2006…” or “Increased production 85% in first year with the company…”) If you were a personal producer, or managed an above average production group, include production figures.
Education – High School, College, Industry seminars and classes…include names and location of schools, dates graduated and degrees obtained.
Licenses or Special Designations held – Real Estate license, CMB designations or other industry specific titles.
Professional Organizations Membership or Appointments
Do It Yourself-ers….
If you decide you want to create your own resume, keep in mind the following tips:
As a general rule, resumes should not exceed two pages in length unless absolutely necessary. Potential employers stop reading after about 3 pages.
There are exceptions to evry rule, however we
generally do not advise including“Objective” or “Professional Summary” sections. This is generally considered “fluff” and not necessary. Your resume speaks for itself if done correctly; a potential employer should be able to evaluate your strengths by reviewing your employment history and accomplishments – adding a paragraph listing these items is simply redundant. Limit the content to the items listed above (“MSA Resume Services”)
Whenever possible, use a bullet format when outlining responsibilities for each company you have worked for. It’s a clean format and easy to read.
- Do not include your picture.
- Do not include companies you worked for less than six months.
- Do not include a listing of References; end your resume with “References available upon request”.
- We do not recommend using some of the web based “resume wizards” that look great on paper but do not print well, or vice versa.