Many articles focus job seekers in on specific aspects of their resume such as spelling, punctuation and keywords. While these three elements are important, if they become the central focus, your resume efforts could be derailed.
Of course, a misspelled or improperly punctuated word, or a typo, can look bad, and can possibly eliminate you from the running. Several such errors likely will send your resume to the circular file. But there are other errors that create an equally sloppy, inattentive career portrait.
1. Research Should Trump Keywords
The most impactful of those errors is lack of research when writing your resume. Researching a company’s needs, understanding as best as you possibly can what they are looking for in a candidate, and then responding to those requirements, is at the core of a resume that resonates. Beyond that, it is also researching and understanding the needs of the person to whom you will be reporting to in your new job.
The problem is that many candidates will research a company a little bit, identify keywords and phrases that jump out, weave those into the resume, and then beef up the content around those keywords with a few superlatives and metrics that make them feel good about their achievements.
If this is what you are doing, you only are touching the tip of the research iceberg. The issue with this method of matching your resume to keywords is you inevitably become more focused on tactics than strategy. The heartbeat of a resume is fed by more complex arteries and capillaries than whether you use the keywords, “People Skills” or “Process Management” the correct number of times.
2. The Resume Is Passé
In fact, as many career experts have noted, the resume is passé, really. Instead, you must write a story that inspires your reader. And by inspire, that’s not to say that you are motivating the audience to lose weight or to have a more productive day.
Instead, you are convincing them that you can make their life better by taking work from their overflowing plate, fixing something broken in their department, or helping them launch a new product or service that they simply don’t have time to initiate singlehandedly.
You are going to be so involved in making them more money, building new systems, hand delivering products to customers, meeting and greeting new prospects, perpetuating their reputation – whatever the case – that they can actually take a breath, while also skyrocketing their business. You will make them look better, and expand their career, without weighing down their already burdened schedule. With you on board, they may even be able to carve time for an overdue vacation with their family.
Moreover, the most influential resume introduces you as the humble, yet strong partner that you are who is ready—and excited—to join forces with your new boss. This type of resume excites the hiring decision maker and provides hope for his better future, enabling him to envision a glimpse of work-life balance.
3. Your Resume Is Not About You
You see, your resume really is all about them. While it’s wonderful how you can also use the platform to revive and honor your achievements, you must be cognizant how you are articulating those accomplishments, so the reader feels taken care of versus the other way around.
Birthing a well-researched, emotive, yet pragmatic resume that will be read, admired and acted upon is not a one-two punch. In fact, describing the how is fodder for a follow-up post. Until then, the following before and after headline for a new grad applying for a sports management role provides a glimpse into capably communicating a more influential story.
Before :: Tactical
New Grad with Parks Recreation Management Degree
Seeking a Sports Management Position
After :: Strategic
Pursing a Career in Sports Management
Not Only Do I Love Sports, But I Know the Rules and Am Trained to Officiate. I am Motivated to Work Hard and Prove Myself as a Valuable Company Asset.
3 Reasons Why The Resume is Passé is a post from: Glassdoor Blog
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