Writing an impactful resume

I get asked a lot on what makes for a great resume. What I have found to be “tried and true” is a template that summarizes your experience and leaves a potential hiring manager eager to learn more. I have worked with countless versions throughout my career and have found that to limit a resume to 1-2 pages is tough. I have compiled a template* to assist you in adhering to that stringent criteria. Format is the easy part. Devising the content is the more daunting task. There are so many mistakes that people consistently make that you can avoid.

Top 5 Common Mistakes

1. Listing job duties. Unfortunately, no one cares what you were expected to do (tasks/responsibilities). In fact, if you were employed for more than 2 years at the company; it would be expected that you were responsible for certain tasks associated with that title. What recruiters and hiring managers want to see is what you did successfully. Think about all of the things you did to save time, money, or resources. Hiring managers love this stuff! It will get their attention. Write about it.
2. Spelling errors. Yes, this one still tops the list and it always surprises me. Typos and grammatical errors sprinkled throughout a professional resume happens way too often. It lacks attention to detail; which is one of the most sought after soft skills in almost every industry. The most common task and responsibility in a professional setting requires corresponding in writing. Your resume is your first test on how well you can communicate in written fashion. I am surprised by how many people ignore the squiggly red lines that glaringly point out mistakes! Those lines are little flashing warnings that you have something you need to review and proofread again. Recruit a friend or colleague to put a fresh pair of eyes on it too. 
3. Ignoring job relevance. This one is a little controversial, but in my experience, I have seen it prove to be more successful than not. The traditional way to compile a resume is to list your experience in chronological order. What you should consider is listing your most relevant experience as it pertains to the role you are applying to. Recruiters and hiring managers alike spend seconds reviewing your resume and will throw yours out if they do not find what they are looking for quickly.
4. Ignoring unpaid experience. This type of experience illustrates personal character and soft skills i.e. volunteer, clubs, affiliations. List them in a way that correlates to relevant job skills.
5. Failing to tailor your resume. You have approximately 5 seconds to catch a hiring manager’s eye. What are the exact skills the recruiter is looking for on the role you are applying to? Not tailoring your resume illustrates laziness. Hiring managers are looking for people that will go ABOVE and BEYOND, not someone that is merely checking the boxes. Nowadays, many career portals have made the click through hiring process so much easier. The least that we can do as jobseekers is to tailor our resumes to fit the role being applied to. It shows work ethic, problem solving ability, comprehension, articulateness, motivation, etc.

Other Tips

1. Write a good eye-catching summary. If you cannot do it, have someone else who knows your background write it for you. They will probably be way more complimentary than you will be. It must include 4-5 attention grabbing sentences.
2. Set up a domain name or set up your Linked In profile to showcase all the stuff that cannot fit on your resume. It really does not belong on your resume anyhow, but needs to be showcased somewhere, right? Why not set up a professional website or social media profile that showcases your expertise and talent? Still doubtful, consider this…
3. It is cheap to obtain your own domain name. It is free to set up a Linked In profile.
4. It is unique and allows you to stand out in the crowd.
5. It gives you the ability to list professional projects, case studies, and key accomplishments in more elaborate detail.
6. It allows you a forum to showcase testimonials, referrals, and words of praise that you have received from your colleagues, supervisors, or clients.
7. Exhibits ambition, professionalism, and other soft skills that show you are a person that goes above and beyond.

I am sure you have heard this before, but I will say it again…your job hunt is a full-time job. If you are not working, you have the time to do it. If you are working and are a proactive jobseeker, engage a good recruiter (LIKE ME!) that will help you accomplish what is outlined in this article. Happy hunting!

*If you are interested in the template, please email [email protected]