Webinar Recording: Resume Tips for Success
Host Sheila Boysen-Rotelli is here to give you some tips for your resume that will help you get the job of your dreams. When looking at your resume, ask yourself this question. “Will this get me closer to an interview!?”
Episode Highlights:
Creating and maintaining a resume is the first step in the process of getting the job that you want
Craft a different version of your resume based on the role or company that you are applying for
Plenty of white space makes a resume look very clean and that’s what we want
Right under your contact information should be your target role or branding title
Stay focused so that the hiring manager doesn’t throw away your resume for having the wrong title
Change your branding statement to the exact position that you are applying to
Below the title is the summation of who you are, what experience you have, and what you bring to the company
Do not make this an objective statement
Stay specific when speaking to their wants
Key skills need to be tailored to the specific job that you are applying for and should include up-to-date keywords
Your resume will go through an HR software screening program that will discard it if it does not contain the right words or phrases
Sheila reads a handful of effective resume summary statements from a variety of industries
There are a plethora of different starting sentences for your summary statement
“Offer 9 years of experience in…”
“Possess more than 10 years of experience…”
“Successful track record of…”
“Excels in…to deliver certain results”
“Skilled in building and managing teams to achieve…”
Accomplishments are the most important part of the professional experience section
3-6 bullets; approximately 1 for each year of experience
Keep them short and sweet
Use action verbs to start each one (increased, led, oversaw, analyzed)
Do not repeat the same experience over and over; emphasize the differences between positions
The Education section should go above the professional experience if recently achieved, at the bottom if more than 5-years old
Can include certifications and memberships if they are relevant to the position that you are applying for
Choose the title for an optional section that doesn’t fall into one of the choices above (technical skills, languages, publications, etc.)
Choosing the format of your resume can affect your chances of being contacted by the employer
Reverse-chronological order is the most preferred type of resume by hiring managers
Functional resumes are the least preferred type because candidates may have gaps in their work history
Combination resumes give the summary and experience highlights in chronological order
There are 3 common challenges that job seekers face when creating their resumes
Include the past 10-15 years of experience on your resume to avoid age discrimination
Use years instead of months if you’ve job hopped, using your summary to smooth over the story
Be creative to fill in the gaps and dig into your personal accomplishments
Do not use text boxes or tables to list information in order to avoid problems with the HR software
3 Key Points:
Name, City, State, LinkedIn URL, and your most accessible phone number/email should all be included in your contact information.
A foundational resume should be adapted to each individual role that you are applying for, using keywords and phrases.
The top half of your resume is where hiring managers look first and as such will play a large role in their decision to keep reading.
Tweetable Quote
“The purpose of a resume is to get you an interview.” - Sheila Boysen-Rotelli
“If you aim at nothing, you’ll hit it every time.” - Sheila Boysen-Rotelli
“Gone are the days that you can submit the same resume for each job you’re interested in.” - Sheila Boysen-Rotelli
“Keep in mind the resume is not a bio, it’s a branding document to get you into the interview.” - Sheila Boysen-Rotelli
Resources Mentioned:
Claim your free six-step job search success workbook here
Contact Sheila at sheila@professionalsuccesscoaching.com