Spend a few moments taking the following vital signs on your resume:
No response: Does your resume go unanswered when you respond to ads?
Experience: Does it list the functions you performed in your jobs, such as “responsible for …”?
Personality traits: Does it include phrases such as “team player”, “detail oriented” and “effective communicator”?
Aspiration: Does it leave out the specific role you are seeking and how you are positioned to make a meaningful and relevant difference to a prospective employer?
If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, then your resume is in need of an overhaul. To get it on a healthy track and captivate the reader’s imagination, make sure your resume communicates
- The measurable results you achieved by performing your day-to-day functions (or from special projects), and how they impacted various stakeholders and/or the bottom line.
- How your personality traits helped fuel your results (the phrases alone are just generic and used by everyone).
- Your interest in assuming a specific role and your ability to deliver value that goes beyond the scope of management’s expectations.
- An expression of your work ethic, such as how your competitive intensity, disciplined and focused approach, or extraordinary commitment to getting things done was manifested.
Taking the time to invest in the health and vitality of your resume will surely yield better results.
Read more tips on Resume and Pitch Strategies and other topics on the Get What You Set web site.
