Resumes are like potato chips. They get stale/soggy after their “use by” date. If you want to be considered for a better job in 2023, your resume must be fresh, tailored to the job description, and compelling. Make your resume a persuasive document. Here are some practical steps.
Hiring organizations initially only scan resumes. You have less than 10 seconds to make a meaningful impression. Once received, your resume gets put into one of three piles: A-Read more carefully, B-Interesting, but falls short, C-Dump. After each resume is prioritized, the top 10 get a telephone call or email for a screening interview. The right resume will get you there. How do you get noticed and wind up in pile-A and get an interview? Here are some hints:
START AT THE TOP – After your name, put a professional designation, like MBA, BS, CPA, PE (Professional Engineer), CNA (certified nursing assistant) or a similar title. This will add credibility to your candidacy. Add your email address, phone number, city, state and zip code.
SUMMARY OF RESULTS – Highlight the results you have achieved during your career. Use the position description as a guide, then match the key requirements of the job with experiences/results you’ve achieved. Use metrics like “Achieved a 15% increase in sales through new product introductions in an expanded market”. Add bullet points that match the needs of a hiring manager. Results you have achieved have a much greater impact than listing tasks or responsibilities from past jobs. Hiring managers are primarily interested in what you can do for them. If you’ve been successful before, your candidacy improves.
LIST OF PAST EXPERIENCES/RESULTS – Now you can list your past jobs and a short bullet point list of experiences/results. Again, use the position description as a guide. Only go back 10 years, as there becomes a question of relevance beyond that point. If, however, experiences beyond 10 years are important, list them under the heading, OTHER EXPERIENCES/RESULTS with one or two key bullet points. Parallel the position description.
EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS/AWARDS: Degrees, certificates, licenses, awards
TECHNOLOGY EXPERTISE: List competency in systems, applications, programs, etc.
MAJOR PROJECTS: Anything that would interest the hiring manager
LANGUAGES/OTHER: Additional languages, Covid shots, unique skills, and so on.
SOME DON’TS: Your street address is irrelevant. Use a professional email address like Gmail/Outlook, rather than Rocket/Hotmail. Drop summer jobs unless relevant. Replace hobbies/interests with volunteer or community involvement. Clean up your social media links to make them professional. Limit graphics or artsy design unless it’s required.
A resume is not a history of your life. It’s a marketing vehicle to make the hiring manager aware of your potential contributions to advance organizational objectives. Tailor your resume to fit the needs of the job. Your objective is to get an interview. A resume, if done well, is the leverage point to the next step to advancing your career.
Make your resume compelling and prepare for the next step: The interview.
For a FREE critique of your resume, send to: wkaufmann44@gmail.com