Table of Contents
1Introduction
If you’re updating your resume, or writing one for the first time, it’s to your benefit to examine well-written processor resume samples to get a feel for the current accepted formats and composition styles. Some things have changed, like the elimination of a resume objective and its replacement with a resume summary, and so it’s vital you get to grips with current trends before buckling down and drafting your document.
As you read further, you’ll find guidance on the recommended resume sections, the order in which they should be presented, the kind of information to include, the format options, and how to decide which to use. Common mistakes in resume writing will also be addressed.
2What to Include in a Processor Resume
Writing a resume is not a fill-in-the-blank exercise. It’s the act of tailoring your document and skills/experience to each job description that sets you apart from the rest.
Accordingly, the content of your processor resume, as based on your experience, education, certifications, and your career path, will never be the same as someone else’s.
However, while there will be differences in content, the framework in which you decide to present your strengths should follow a consistent format. The three style formats that most employers are familiar with are chronological, functional, and combination.
The chronological resume style is the most commonly used and familiar to hiring managers. It’s called chronological because it calls for listing your employment history in a simple (reverse) chronological order, and works best for those with no employment gaps or independent contract work and who are following a traditional career path. The sections of this style resume are:
- Contact info (name/phone/email)
- Resume summary
- Work experience
- Skills
- Education
The functional resume style allows you to focus on your career accomplishments without putting them in date order or linking them to specific employers. This means you’re free to match your achievements to the employer’s requirements, which will let them see you as an ideal candidate. Also, it means if you’re changing careers or have noticeable employment gaps, you can structure your resume without drawing attention to these points. The sections in this resume style vary only in the addition of an “Accomplishments” section as follows:
- Contact info (name/phone/email)
- Resume summary
- Accomplishments (new section)
- Work experience
- Skills
- Education
If you review the many processor resume samples available, you’ll find examples of the two mentioned above as well as a combination style. The choice is yours.
3How to Write the Processor Resume Summary Statement
While each section of your resume is important, the summary statement holds a special position as the first thing a potential employer reads, and if they’re not drawn in, they may not read the rest. Every word counts.
The trick is to describe 2-3 career accomplishments in a way that explains a problem you tackled, your solution, and the result, all in no more than three sentences. Some tips to keep in mind when writing your summary statement:
- Avoid first-person pronouns
- Sentence fragments are preferred over complete sentences
- Show quantifiable results if at all possible
Before you begin writing yours, take a look at the summary statements in the processor resume samples you identified as well as the two examples below:
- Experienced claims processor in the property division who investigated, assessed damage to property, and created damage estimates. Conducted interviews with claimants, witnesses, police, and relevant parties to determine settlement or denial. Negotiated claim settlements within company-established parameters over 80 percent of the time. Collected evidence to support contested claims in court resulting in favorable rulings in more than 50 percent of cases.
- Data processor with over 15 years experience both as an independent contractor and employed in private industry. Over 90 words per minute (WMP) on a traditional keyboard, 12,100 keystrokes per hour (KPH) on a numeric keypad, and an accuracy rate of 97 percent. Because of extreme attention to detail, identified missing or inconsistent information and consistently met critical deadlines.
4How to Write the Processor Work Experience Section
Before you get into the meat of this section, you need to decide which resume format works best for you. For a reminder of the differences, take another look at the processor resume samples.
If you’re going with the chronological resume format, you’ll need to prepare a list of previous jobs, beginning with the most recent. Each job will be a sub-heading that should include your job title, company/company location, and period of employment.
Under each job, create 3-5 bullet points that establish your credentials as an experienced and accurate data, loan, or insurance claims processor. Speed, accuracy, and attention to detail are critical in each processor business sector, so focus on times that your skill enhanced the company’s credibility for accurate information.
If you have difficult-to-explain employment gaps or you’re changing your career path, the functional resume format may be your choice. In that case, before you complete the work experience section, add a new one called “Accomplishments,” “Highlights,” or “Achievements,” which comprise 6-8 bullet points that drive home your big wins and transferable skills.
When creating your bullet points, don’t just mention your duties; tell how well you did them compared to others, and if at all possible, mention measurable results.
When you move on to your work experience section, as a result of your achievements being listed in the previous section, you’ll simply need to list your previous jobs. You won’t need to include dates of employment.
5Action Verbs to Include in Your Processor Work Experience Section
A well-written, concise statement of your activities at work should be told without first-person pronouns but always with action verbs. Following is a list of action verbs that apply to the loan, insurance, and data processor industry:
- Explain
- Obtain
- Verify
- Review
- Ensure
- Analyze
- Assess
- Collect
- Evaluate
- Input
- Type
- Expedite
- Gather
- Enter
- Sort
- Examine
- Operate
- Organize
- Catalog
By quickly scanning the processor resume samples of your business sector for action verbs, you should be able to find more ways to vividly describe how you do your job.
6How to Write the Processor Skills Section
Since the job category of processor is so broad, the skills for the sectors under that umbrella differ. Again, turn to each job description to see what skills are important to the employer. As you identify your skills, try to match them in the order of importance identified in the job description.
Examples of skills for various processor positions are:
Loan processor:
- Attention to detail
- Strong organization
- Excellent customer service
- Thorough understanding of federal and state regulations
- Familiarity with underwriting software
- Marketing of services
Insurance claims processor:
- Strong written and verbal communication
- Detail oriented
- Able to deal with claimants and others who are upset by their situation
- Analytical skills
- Math skills
Data processor:
- Accuracy
- Attention to detail
- Speed
- Focus
- Stamina
- Quality control
7How to Write the Processor Education Section
As with the skills section, the education section will vary depending on your business sector and its education requirements. It’s important to know what the employer is looking for to make sure your meet their needs.
Loan processors are well served by having a bachelor’s degree in business or finance, but the entry-level processor positions are often available to those without a bachelor’s degree and who have related work experience in sales, customer service, or banking.
If you have a degree, bachelor’s or associate’s, list it first. The only information you need to include is the school attended/school location/degree obtained. If you’re working while attending college, show your anticipated graduation date and degree.
Insurance claims processors who are on a path to adjuster can often enter the field with a high school diploma or equivalent, but a bachelor’s degree will definitely help if you want to progress to a higher level position.
Because of the various sectors in insurance, like auto damage, financial loss, industrial claims, or loss due to fire, various related vocational training is an advantage and should be listed.
Data processors generally only require a high school diploma along with work-related experience, but continuing education can put you on the path for advancement and should be listed as either “course studies” or “degree in progress.”
A sub-heading called “Certifications/licenses/associations” or some variation should be included because licensing requirements for many positions vary by state and might include:
- Mortgage Loan Originator (MLO) license
- Membership in the American Bankers Association
- Continuing education in medical terminology to support license renewal
Revisit the processor resume samples for educational credits you may have but haven’t listed. Also consider memberships in related associations that show your commitment to your industry.
8Should I Include References in my Processor Resume
There’s only one reasonable answer to this question, and it’s no. Try as you might, you won’t find references listed on any of the processor resume samples you’ve been referencing, or any others for that matter.
The simple statement that they’re available upon request is enough, but don’t say it if you haven’t already gotten permission from 3-4 previous supervisors or managers to use them as a reference. When the employer calls, you want to be able to respond immediately.
The advantage will be that you’ll know for sure they’re interested in you. You can then contact your references and give them a heads-up; and you can ask them to let you know when they’ve been contacted and the questions they were asked.
9Processor Resume Fails: Mistakes to Avoid
- After spending so much time thinking about what to include in your resume, consider the following things that should never be included: date of birth, marital status, a picture, salary information, and the old standard no religion or politics.
- The resume summary has replaced the resume objective, so don’t try to sneak in a line that says, “My desire is to work for an organization that…” Rather, ask not what they can do for you, but what you can do for them.
- No matter what type of processor you are, you process information, and the expectation is that it will be accurate. The best representation of that attention to detail and accuracy is a resume with no typos or mistakes. You may be very good at what you do, but even after you’ve proofread your resume more than once, it’s a good idea to have someone else read it too.
- With the readily accessible variety of processor resume samples, it would be a mistake not to at least take advantage of the way other people have presented their qualifications for jobs in your field.
10Job Prospects in the Processor Industry
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects the average employment growth for all occupations from 2014 to 2024 to be 7 percent. The following “processor” jobs have varying projections ranging from the average to slower than average.
Employment of loan processors is projected to grow 8 percent for the same ten-year period. Economic growth, low interest rates, and population growth create a demand for loan processors. Banking and lending activity is expected to increase as the economy recovers from the recent economic downturn, and regulatory compliance means a more labor-intensive loan approval process.
In the insurance industry, claims processors, grouped by the BLS with adjusters, examiners, appraisers, and investigators, are expected to be employed at a growth rate of 3 percent, which is slower than the average for all occupations. The one area of growth is projected to be in the health insurance industry. Scrutiny of high-risk individuals who file claims and rising medical costs in general will result in a greater need for review of medical claims. Growth in health insurance and even property and casualty claims as a result of natural disasters will be offset by technology that allows claims to be processed automatically.
As a result, the best job prospects are in the health insurance industry or in areas susceptible to natural disasters like hurricanes, floods, or wildfires.
While the BLS doesn’t name a specific category for data processor employment projections, they do show the following current information:
- Industries with the highest levels of data processors employed: employment services; accounting, tax preparation, bookkeeping, and payroll services
- Top paying industries for data processors: aerospace product and parts manufacturing; electric power generation, transmission and distribution; postal service; wired telecommunications carriers