Writing an Impressive Resume

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When most people write a resume, they assume that the resume's reader knows more than they do. Remember, when sending out your resume, it must clearly speak to its reader about you and your abilities.  When someone is reading your resume, you can't speak to explain any inconsistencies, clear up any confusion, or fill in things that are missing to its reader.  That is why your resume must paint a picture of you and your abilities...

Understand Your Viewer(s)

A large amount of resumes are ineffective for the reason that their creators fail to concentrate on the employer’s wants and needs for the position.  You can easily win an interview for the job if your resume demonstrates how you can add value to your target business.

If you can’t tell an employer why they should hire you, then why should they?  You must know what employers are looking for. Employers hire new employees to solve a problem or take advantage of an opportunity, whether it's an entry-level position, or a senior leadership role. Employers don’t just create an available job just for fun.

This is why you should not begin to write your resume until you have identified the type of companies you are want to work for and researched them to understand their needs.

Create Impact

Employers reading your resume have just one question: "What's in it for me? They want to know that you have made an impact on other companies. That's why the bulk of your resume must be focused on IMPACT, not responsibilities.

Your resume must demonstrate what impact you had in your prior positions and so that the employer can begin to imagine the impact you will have their business.

Replacing old, tired, overused lists responsibilities with energetic accomplishment bullet points is a guaranteed way to increase your resume response rate.

Use Design Effectively

Design is the aspect of resume writing that is most often overlooked by busy job seekers - but it's incredibly important. Your resume will initially be scanned for 20 seconds or less before a decision is made about whether your resume belongs on the "no" pile. In order to make it past that first screen, you need to ensure that your key selling points jump off the page at first glance, so they should be strategically placed in the upper one third of your resume.

Remember, a badly designed resume results in lost interviews, so do not skimp on this important stage of the hiring process. If you cannot make a standout resume, then it is time to hire an expert!  After all, it's the interview and the job you are after...




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