A bad resume costed me a lot but…

Back in June 2014, I moved to Germany with 7.5 years of experience.

I started preparing my CV three months prior to my move to Germany, and I vaguely began applying for jobs without any cover letter.

And referred a popular style CV called the Europass resume, which is well-known among international job seekers.

It was three pages long, written in Times New Roman font. It listed my personal details on top, then talked about my role, certification, skills and work experiences.

Here's the resume that got me the job but cost me six months of time, endless rejections, and monetary loss.

Looking back now, ten years later, I can see where I went wrong.

If I hadn't made those mistakes, I could have landed a job directly from India and saved thousands of euros.

I could have easily avoided months of struggle, rejections, and financial strain.

Here's what I would change:

Grab hiring managers attention: Before even beginning to write my resume, I would have analysed the job posting to identify the sought-after skills, qualifications, and experiences ensuring a tailored application that stands out to employers & navigates through Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS).

Streamline: When I see it, it looks messy. Clear formatting, a consistent font like Calibri, and adjusted spacing between sections would enhance visual appeal and make it easier to digest.

Tabular Format: Next, I would organize the most relevant technical skills in a tabular format. By avoiding detailed descriptions and emphasizing crucial skills, I ensure that the key qualifications are easily identifiable to hiring managers.

Quantify when Possible: Quantifiable achievements demonstrate the ability to deliver tangible results and highlight the value you can offer to the organization. By including such achievements, I could have distinguished myself, demonstrating my unique contributions and successes. For example,

Architected data driven test automation software framework in Selenium & Java, saving 30 man hours every week.

Use Action Verbs: Beginning each achievement with strong action verbs conveys a sense of accomplishment and initiative, further enhancing the impact of the resume.

Keep it Concise: I should have provided relevant details without overwhelming the recruiter with unnecessary information. Not all work experiences hold the same significance, hence I could have avoided providing excessive details about each job or project.

But hold on, here's the bright side.

This resume got me few interview invitations and got me not one, but two job offers in Munich and Berlin, and I couldn't be happier.

Reflecting on my journey from the US Pension domain in India to pursuing opportunities in the payment domain in Munich over e-commerce, I realized the importance of aligning career aspirations with industry trends.

Payments play a vital role in business operations, especially with the increasing digitization and the rise of fintech companies. My experience in implementing payment systems has been a rewarding journey, one that I'm eager to share in my upcoming newsletters.

Landing a job abroad was just the start.

Throughout my 9-5 job, I've been the go-to person for career advice, helping friends and LinkedIn connections with their career changes and creating my own little community.

This mattered to me the most while enjoying my job.

As I was nearing 35, I started thinking about what I wanted out of my life.

I figured out I wanted to help professionals and students – being a manager was no longer important to me.

I realized I wanted to work at my own pace to create my own brand.

Eventually, I stepped into full time career coaching.

I was a pro in my field with a proven business idea.

But there was still much to learn about current digital marketing trends and technologies, sales, budget forecasting, operations, streamlining processes, and navigating the bureaucracy of two countries, among other things.

I have always been passionate about Marketing, so I started learning about how to create a high-end digital course that not only stands out but also creates a lasting impact on what professionals desperately want in their career.

Importantly, I aimed to expand the reach of my business across the globe by building an online presence.

Fast forward to today, and I have impacted the lives of 2.5M people with my free webinars and resources.

Started Career Designing Academy, a platform dedicated to helping individuals pursue their dreams internationally.

And even better?

Having my clients achieve a 200,000 Euro package per year in UK, Canada, Germany, Netherlands.

I am ready to teach you the math, skills, and strategies that go behind securing 15,000 Euros per month.

Join my Masterclass for valuable insights for those seeking to carve their own path to international job market.

Imagine landing a job with European companies like ireckonu, Catawiki, Adyen, Demcon, and Veralto, where relocation costs are covered, and bonuses or visa assistance are provided.

Don't wait any longer to pursue your dreams. Start now by exploring company portals or reaching out to recruiters and hiring managers on LinkedIn.

Your next big opportunity awaits.

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