Mastering the Art of Resume Writing: Tips to Craft Your Winning Personal Brand
You find yourself in a position to craft a resume or update an existing resume. This can be a daunting challenge for many people. So much resume advice floats around out there, and so much is outdated, outdated, or simply flawed. I’ve worked with thousands of clients across a myriad of industries, and I’m going to share with you my top 10 tips for effectively and efficiently writing a winning resume:
Understand the purpose. Contrary to much advice out there, the purpose of a resume is not to inventory the tasks you perform in your current or previous roles. It is to showcase your brand value and what you offer a new employer.
Understand the audience. To effectively write anything, you must understand whom you’re addressing. Rather than creating a resume rife with “responsible for” statements, create one that will appeal to them by showing your value through achievements.
Focus on accomplishments. What unique things did you do in each job to set yourself apart? How did you do the job better than anyone else or than anyone else could have done? Focus on the outcomes. Where you can share measurable and meaningful outcomes – do it!
Formatting matters. Your resume should feature conservative, easy-to-read fonts, plenty of white space, and a simple layout and design. Graphic elements that add interest, such as rule lines, boxes, and shaded areas, are fine.
It must be tailored to the position to which you’re applying. Job seekers tend to forget that employers review resumes extremely quickly — often in just a few seconds. A glance should immediately reveal what you want to do and gain a sense of the value you can contribute.
Convey your distinctiveness and unique understanding of the business environment. Why you over any other candidate? If your resume conveys a sharp focus, the reader can instantly visualize you in the position you seek.
Lead with a profile summary. Use the first section of your resume to highlight your most valuable skills and competencies. Employ strong, action-oriented language that communicates your value.
Proofread! Manually proofread your resume to ensure that it’s devoid of grammatical, punctuation, and spelling errors and also to make sure it has a logical flow. Then, have someone else look at it; we often overlook minor errors in our own writing.
Highlight relevant skills up front. When crafting your resume, it’s crucial to showcase your relevant talent at the beginning. This ensures that potential employers immediately see how your abilities align with the job requirements, increasing the chances of your resume standing out. Tailor this section to the position you’re applying for, emphasizing the skills that are most transferable and pertinent to the role.
Show it; don’t just say it. Demonstrate concrete achievements by attaching metrics or giving specific examples. I can tell you that I’m a strategic thinker, but without an example, it means nothing.
Final Thoughts
Crafting your resume shouldn’t feel like a march into the abyss of the job market. Treat it as an opportunity to paint a vibrant view of your professional aspirations using strategic content to create a dynamic, captivating resume. Let it be your personal billboard, advertising your unique skill set and experiences in a way that commands attention and opens doors to interviews. Make your first impression a lasting one with a resume that tells your story.