Modernize Your Resume for the New Year
There is no shortage of resume advice out there and certainly no shortage of self-proclaimed resume experts and career coaches. This can make it challenging to know what should and should not be on your resume to make you stand out in today’s market. To answer the question I know is on the tip of your tongue: yes, you still need a resume. Even if you have a LinkedIn profile, a website, and a digital portfolio, a resume is still standard practice across industries. I’ve been at this for a long time and have worked with thousands of clients; I will share my top tips for ensuring that your resume is aligned with what hiring managers and recruiters seek.
What You Need
A headline. Under your name and contact information, include a headline that immediately conveys what you do and the value you bring. You are writing for what you want – not what you are. For example, if you currently hold the title of VP, Operations and are looking for an SVP position, put SVP, Operations at the top. This will serve two purposes, the first of which is it will account for keyword searching if you are applying online. The second purpose is to inform a potential reader about what you are looking for in the next position.
A professional summary. This should be at the top of your resume and describe your skills and core areas of performance. The summary is an opportunity to highlight your unique value proposition. This area sets the tone for the rest of your résumé. Make sure it’s compelling and delivers an immediate impact. I like including an example at the top to engage the reader.
Achievements. Your resume is a marketing document. Call out your superstar achievements and, when possible, quantify them. So think “Reduced costs by 22% while scaling revenue by $4M” rather than “Managed department and contributed to overall company success.” Be specific.
Keywords. Include specific words or phrases that describe the skills, abilities, and experiences you have that are relevant to the job in which you’re interested. Keywords can also be industry- and function-specific. Ensure that you have the appropriate and relevant keywords on your resume so that it is easier for recruiters to find you and enable them to immediately understand the value you bring to the role.
What You Don’t Need
Your mailing address. Hiring companies and recruiters no longer send letters of interest or rejection via the mail. Don’t waste precious real estate at the top of your resume with your physical address.
An objective statement. An objective statement is a relic of 1960s-era hiring and hasn’t been relevant since the 1990s. The problem with the objective statement is that it’s about you and your goals and interests. Use the summary instead. We all know by now that the hiring resource doesn’t care what you want. They care about how you will make a difference as a part of their team.
Responsibilities. No one cares about the daily duties of your job. Focus on quantifiable accomplishments instead. Delete the “responsible for” statements that you have on your resume.
Salary history. Your salary history is your personal financial information; do not share it with strangers! I hope no one is putting this on their resume, but if they are, stop now.
“References available upon request.” This is understood. There’s no need to waste space on your resume with this.
Your GPA. Unless you are a new graduate, your GPA is irrelevant compared to your career history and achievements. Don’t put it on your resume.
The Bottom Line
Job searching and recruiting methodologies and practices are constantly evolving. Make sure your career materials are current and appropriate for the 2023 market.