Resume Magic: Trade Secrets of a Professional Resume Writer (Paperback)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A masterpiece on resume writing." -- David F. Noble, Ph.D., author, Gallery of Best Resumes

"The most comprehensive book ever written on resume writing and a vital addition to every job seeker's library!" -- Wendy S. Enelow, author, executive resume writer and career consultant

"Whitcomb has created the gold standard in resume guides." -- Katherine Hansen, author of Dynamic Cover Letters, Dynamic Cover Letters for New Graduates, and A Foot in the Door: Networking Your Way into the Hidden Job Market

"Whitcomb's before-and-after examples are reminiscent of Houdini!" -- Darrell W. Gurney, CPC, JCTC, RSCP; author, Headhunters Revealed! --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Description

Filled with "before and after" resume examples that not only teach the author's special techniques but also show why they work, "Resume Magic" divulges the secrets of better resume writing from an expert with more than a decade of experience producing powerful, effective resumes.

Product Details

• Paperback: 350 pages
• Publisher: Jist Works (October 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1563705222
• ISBN-13: 978-1563705229
• Product Dimensions: 10.7 x 8.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (52 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #739,621 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

99 of 100 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Valuable time saving reference and tutorial, January 13, 2002

By	Guy Terry (Little Elm, TX) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I started a job hunt recently, and hadn't written a resume in the last 6 years or so. I had a good idea of how I wanted to present and market myself, but I didn't have all of the fine details filled in.

This book is extensive, but well labeled. Start reading at the beginning, and every subject points you to the chapter with more information on that subject. Kind of like hyperlinks. That way you can look through at the major headings and pick and choose what you don't already know.

I took a prioritized approach, because I was in a little bit of a hurry. I took the resume section, picked a format based on my experience, then wrote a draft. From there, I went back and picked through the writing sections to make sure that I was on the right track. If you've read the examples, and the "before and after" sections, you'll probably have a good idea already what the big picture is. From then I went on to the section on cover letters and online job searching.

There are sections on virtually every subject of resume and cover letter writing, gathering references, job searching and interview preparation. Everything that you really need to get started, or just touch up on what you already know is well organized and labeled so that you can use it immediately. It's just what I was looking for, so that I wouldn't have to waste time reading the "full story" on each subject.

After following the advice in this book and sending out about 20 copies of my resume online, I had about 10 replies in the first week, and about 6 requests for interviews already.

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The book indeed is "magic"!, November 8, 2000

By A Customer

If you are looking for a resume writing book or a new job, your search is over with this book. This book is a total solution to your job hunting. The book is not just about the "mechanics" or "how" to write your resume, but also about the "contents" or "what" to write in your resume. Many resume writing books cover "how" to write a resume, but they don't usually spend enough pages on helping you with the contents. With this book, you will collect or recall more accomplishments than you could possibly put on your resume... I bought the book to help me write my resume for application to an Ivy League graduate school and to transition from IS/IT to a business development position. The direction in the book helped me to develop strong content AND an attractive format. Witness the "magic" of transformation of the "before" resumes into "after" yourself! Your resume will be transformed, too with "Resume Magic"!

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 600 pages for a book on writing a resume, impossible?, August 20, 2002

By A Customer

I said, "How can resume-writing be this complicated?" before carrying this 600-page 8.5" x 11" book home. Susan Whitcomb did a good job of compiling tips and advice and presenting them at the right time. There are tips on left vs. right justification, including personal information, and picking fonts, and long discussions on CVs vs. resumes, on functional vs. chronological, on printed vs. scannable vs. ASCII, and on grammar and mechanics. She's obviously a great copyriter and page designer.

Because, indeed, a resume now must look good enough so it will be read.

One chapter did nothing but help you choose which sections and section titles fit your situation. I found that weird, until I began the next chapter, which read, "Even experienced writers can feel some fear and trepidation when facing the start of a new project. You already have a good outline in which to work (chapter 4), which puts you beyond the 'blank sheet of paper' stage."

Inside the "tweaking" section, she even gives the keystrokes you'll use for both Microsoft Word and Corel WordPerfect.

You'll also find 250 "impact-mining questions" to ask yourself to come up with powerful accomplishment statements. Is that a lot? Well, no, but it gives you a good start! When you expect a resume-writing book to have a list of action verbs, Susan diligently wrote a impressive example for each verb.

I do not agree with her treatment of ASCII resumes, though. Of course, her discussion on online promotion and online resume submittal has grown stale; her ideas on "keyword resumes" is as outdated as advice on META TAGS on web pages.

Bulky... comprehensive... a great workbook.