CV TIPS - How To Take Your Resume To The Next Level
Posted 2nd June 2021 • Written by Robin Ryan on forbes.com • • • • •
You have only seconds to capture the recruiter or hiring manager’s attention. 15-20 seconds – that is all. If your resume does not convey your value quickly, potential employers will skip to the next candidate.
Do you do a thorough self-analysis as a part of the resume writing process? Do you define your individual strengths, relevant achievements and specify the results you have delivered in your job roles? That is exactly what is needed to create an effective resume with content that makes the employer want to speak to you about their job immediately.
Your resume is your marketing and branding tool for employers. It is your advertisement and it needs to reflect all you can offer concisely and impactfully.
Brand Yourself to stand out
Treat yourself like a business of one. Know your unique value offering and identify themes of success as they relate to the target job. What type of leader are you? How do you add value to organizations, teams, processes, and people? Employers are looking for more than a set of skills; they want a candidate that fits their culture. Highlight your unique passions, attributes, and drivers noting how your personality and leadership skills make you better at your job.
Think quality over quantity
Refine content to focus on what is relevant to the role, shifting details away from task-based info to results-focused statements of success. In a resume, less can be more. Share only what matters most. Generic resumes fall flat. Aim to position yourself as the perfect fit for the role. What do you know about the company? What do they want from their candidates? What challenges is the business dealing with that you can solve? How will your oversight, leadership, and executive skillsets make the company better? Focus on specifics, highlight essential and related examples of success, and include keywords that the employer is seeking. Keep content relevant and concise.
Aim for results
Replace general statements like ‘strong team leader’ or ‘excellent people-person’ with real-life specific examples of results you have achieved. Laden your resume with metrics, answering 'how many, how much, and how often' in most examples. Share: $, #, and %. Rather than sharing the specific tasks you took care of, share short-term and long-term results you achieved for your employers. Back up your claims with specific results. Numbers speak loudly on a resume! State the Challenge, your Actions and Results achieved.
Steer away from bland resume speak
Avoid general statements such as ‘results-oriented, visionary leader, proven track record,’ which make you sound like everyone else. Overused words start to blur together, and people tend to pass them over. Instead, use clear, descriptive language with strong words like pioneered, accelerated, leveraged, envisioned, championed, orchestrated, spearheaded.
Start strong
Make the initial scan of your resume count! The top of your resume is the most valuable real estate. Create a memorable executive summary that piques your reader’s interest, engages their attention, and has them excited to read on. Use 4-5 bullet points focused on an overarching theme of exactly what you bring to the job.
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