Career Inspirations Podcast
Enter the secret world of resume writing and get Sharon’s top three 3 strategies 

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Wouldn’t it be nice if you could see the resumes that your competitors are submitting before you apply for a position? What would you do if you could compare your resume with theirs? I suspect that you would want to revise yours to be certain it would be the very best one.

Well today is your lucky day. As a professional resume strategist, I get to see hundreds of resumes from highly qualified professionals. I’m going to share three big secrets for resume success. Come into my world; let’s see how you can significantly improve your resume.

The first secret that I would like to share with you is that most job seekers don’t seem to understand the purpose of their resume. When I ask the question, “what are you targeting?” I get either a blank stare or a curt “I’m not sure. I just want a general resume.” The very first thing I tell my client is this: “The purpose of your resume is to show how you can meet the specific needs of your target market. If you don’t know who you are targeting, you simply cannot tell them what you can do for them.”

Once my client determines a focus, I hone in on the needs of those employers. We strategically discuss everything that my client will do to meet their needs and exceed all of their expectations. Then, we stress these important points in the resume.

Your resume needs to open doors. To do this, you must express your unique value to the employer. Why else would anyone want to meet with you?

Okay, now here comes secret number two. I cannot tell you how many times I see job seekers listing duties and tasks on their resumes. Employers do not need a job description of positions held. They already know the responsibilities of the job – why else would they be looking for someone to fill it? Duties and tasks are not nearly as important as tangible, quantifiable accomplishments. When I am writing a resume, I focus on showing employers why they should pick my client instead of everyone else. I want the employer to know that if they hire my client they will get a great return on investment for the hefty compensation that they’ll be shelling out. From my experience, it is clear that all the top-level candidates who get the opportunities, are touting many achievements – and they are putting hard numbers to every single one. You must too.

Now for secret number three. This is a simple and powerful tactic that works every time. When I want my client’s resume to stand out, I design it to look different from any resume that I have ever seen. Imagine a recruiter is looking at a giant stack of resumes and my client’s is in the middle. The recruiter is probably already overwhelmed with the daunting task of going through hundreds of resumes. I do whatever I can to be certain that my client’s resume is guaranteed to stand out in the very best way possible. So, even if the recruiter does a quick shuffle through the documents, my client’s resume must stand out in a good way. This strategy greatly increases the chances that the resume will be picked at all – even if it is just to take a look at the design.

Now, let’s take all this a step further:  creative design and branding is becoming a critical factor for senior-level professionals. Template resumes are rapidly becoming a thing of the past. Because the competition for top jobs is getting tougher, job seekers are leveraging the talents of professional strategists more than ever. I am already seeing some upscale resumes that are more like tasteful marketing brochures than the typical style to we have become accustomed.

It never ceases to amaze me that some executives still think that they can get away with a shabby, carelessly written homemade resume. Don’t get caught in that trap. Your resume is a reflection of you. If your resume presents itself poorly, imagine what the reader is going to think of you. If you are truly worthy of a high compensation, you must present yourself that way.

I hope that I gave you some insight into my world as a professional resume strategist. Keep an eye out for our next radio show. I’m looking forward to sharing many more strategies to help you succeed in your career transition.