No matter what stage you are in your career, when applying for a job the first impression a company typically has about you is based upon what you have written in your resume. Hiring managers often sift through tens if not hundreds of resumes trying to find the one candidate that will not only excel within their available position, but who also will fit within their company’s culture, If the content within your resume is lacking, if you don’t convey your strengths and accomplishments, or if you turn in a sloppy document with spelling errors or inconsistencies, your opportunity will quickly get dismissed even though you may actually be the best candidate for the job. This article focuses on some simple steps you can take to maximize the positive impact that this critical document can create.
TAILOR TO TARGETS – I have been a hiring manager for the last 15 years and have reviewed thousands of resumes during that period. Within some larger organizations, key word searches are done to establish fit prior to ever reading through the actual content. If it is an electronics manufacturer, they may search your resume for “electronics” to ensure you have relevant history. If they don’t see that word within your text, it goes in the trash. This is just one of the reasons it is important to tailor your resume towards the specific company and opportunity you are pursuing. If you have a general resume that you are sending out to as many companies as possible just hoping for a bite, you are doing yourself a disservice. Utilizing this type of shotgun approach may get you into more inboxes, but it certainly will not set you apart from the flood of other applications. If you are in a dead-end job as an inside salesperson for a cabinet manufacturer and are looking to secure an outside sales gig within the same industry, you should be very specific about that in your resume when pursuing those opportunities in your field. Creating a mission statement at the top of your resume declaring your desire to take the next career step within your targeted industry while complementing that with the industry accomplishments you have achieved within your current role will definitely catch the eye of any hiring manager and put you at the top of the pile!
CHECK IT BEFORE YOU WRECK IT – The first thing I look at when reviewing a resume, as petty as it might sound, is grammar. The percentage of resumes I come across with spelling or grammatical errors is astounding. It should be very easy to set yourself apart by simply proofreading your resume MULTIPLE times after writing it. Then have a couple people who are close to you read through it as well. Considering this could be one of the most important documents you will likely ever write, it is worth making sure that it is absolutely perfect before sending it out! Poor grammar and spelling creates an impression that lacks professionalism.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS, NOT TASKS – The next thing I consider when reviewing a resume is the way work history is described. The most common mistake I tend to see on resumes is a focus on tasks or responsibilities rather than on accomplishments. For example, a salesperson who says they made cold calls, entered sales orders, updated customers on order statuses, developed new business, and managed a book of existing business has told the employer nothing. As a salesperson, of course they did those things, that’s what salespeople are supposed to do! What this candidate hasn’t mentioned is how they added value to their company. To stand out, it is important to focus on accomplishments and to tie basic metrics to those accomplishments to make them measurable. If a salesperson simply states that they grew their business, that does not tell an employer very much. Did they grow the number of accounts sold by 20%, 50%, 100 %? How does that compare to the others within the company? If the salesperson was a growth leader within their company, those specific details should be included to identify them as being special. On the other hand, if that particular salesperson’s growth percentage was below average, they should consider other metrics to highlight. Another key piece of information that companies love to see if the candidate did anything beyond their standard scope of responsibilities to add value to their organization’s bottom line. Any special projects they embarked upon or other ways they contributed to their previous employer’s well-being that go beyond their stated job function (i.e. serving on a committee, training other employees, etc) should certainly be added to demonstrate breadth of capability.
GO WITH A PRO – Your resume can be the ultimate difference maker when hiring managers consider whether or not to hand you tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars. If you do not feel that this critical document conveys your top strengths and is not robust enough to convince an employer that you are the best candidate out there, you may want to seek professional help. There are plenty of online companies that will offer to help for a fee. There are also some free services out there through social services or through universities if you are a recent graduate. I am not getting paid for hosting this website, I have experienced success in my life and am looking to help others achieve similar success. I am willing to offer a free resume review to the first 100 people who contact me looking for help!
Great post.