Four changes to make in your resume if you want a new job before 2022
14 October 2021
We’re in the last quarter of the year, so if you’ve been wanting a new job before 2022 – or really anytime thereafter – there are a few changes you’re going to need to make to your resume to be successful.
I was just on a Zoom call with a client and we were literally going through his resume line by line and customizing it to the actual job description he was applying to.
He submitted his resume and cover letter, and within 24 hours he received an email back asking for an interview.
Yep, that’s right, 24 hours!
And mind you, he’s making a 180-degree career pivot from a 20-year tenure in restaurant management to IT/operations and Salesforce administrator roles in values-based companies.
And to further paint the picture, he’s had a 100% interview rate, meaning every job he’s applied to, he’s been invited in for an interview.
“I have not only had a 100% response rate, but I received an interview on my very first job application after making these recommended changes. This was after dozens of previous resumes submitted with my old resume and very few responses. I've went from 10%-20% response rate to 100%. That's incredible.”
So what did he do that made him so successful?
I’ll get to that in a minute. First, it's important that we debunk some myths that keep job seekers unsuccessful.
Myth #1: Your resume should only be one page.
Fact: One page resumes are typical for early career folks (within the first five years of their career) who’ve either never worked, or have only had one or two jobs.
For anyone else who has worked more than five years and who has had multiple jobs, it’s totally fine to have more than one page, and often necessary.
Two or even three pages is fine, just make sure that you’re being succinct and using your precious real estate wisely.
Myth #2: You should format your resume with graphic design elements.
Fact: Yikes. I’ve been recruiting for nearly 20 years and this one is a no-go. Getting too fussy with the design on your resume makes you look like a rookie ,pigeonholes you as early career and lacking professional maturity.
Now some recruiters may disagree with me, but I’ve talked to enough recruiters that feel the same to be confident about this one.
You DO need to have a visually appealing format that’s organized and easy to read, you just don’t need color, graphics, and design fuss.
Pro tip: If you are using Canva or PowerPoint to create your resume, it is probably too fussy.
Myth #3: You should list out everything you’ve ever done.
Fact: Listing out everything you’ve ever done wastes your precious real estate by focusing on the wrong things.
Rather, you want to focus on the right things, such as how your past experience translates to the job you’re applying to, why you’re interested in the role (and think you can perform the role), and relevant achievements that translate to the desired role.
Myth #4: You should include your hobbies.
Fact: I’m going to be blunt here and confidently say no one cares about your hobbies.
Of course, if you have extracurricular activities that are relevant to the job you’re applying to then, by all means, include these. If not, keep them out.
There was a trend that started a while back and is still lingering to include hobbies because it speaks to one’s personality.
For many years now I've seen people's resumes telling me what types of tacos they like or how they enjoyed jumping out of planes, oh, and one time, someone included that their favorite movie was Avatar.
Oy vey, such a waste of precious resume real estate, and again, makes you look like a rookie. Now that we’ve debunked some of these myths, let’s talk about the four changes to make in your resume right now to land an interview.
Do: Incorporate your brand.
Don’t over complicate or over think your brand, but keep it simple.
Take 20 minutes and brainstorm all the keywords and achievements from your career that you’re proud of and want to keep doing in the future.
Pick your top five words or phrases and build them out throughout your resume (and make sure they track with the position you’re applying to).
Do: Include the keywords from the position you’re applying to in your resume.
Review the position description and highlight the top keywords or phrases it uses over and over.
Include these words or phrases throughout your resume.
Pro tip: Count how many times the PD uses the keyword/phrase and use it that many times in your resume (without sounding robotic or too redundant).
Do: Convey your career story thus far and how it translates to the job you’re applying for.
Your resume is your career story and should tell the reader exactly how qualified you are for the job, even if you’ve never had that job title or have been in that industry.
The title or the industry doesn't matter, what matters are the things you’ve done that can translate.
For instance, in the client I highlighted at the beginning, he didn’t highlight and focus on how he’s worked in “restaurant management where he was responsible for scheduling servers, hosts, and reservations, etc.”
Instead, he focused on that he's “worked in a fast-paced and customer-facing industry serving in various roles, including operational, infrastructure, and IT functions.”
Read through the position description and address each responsibility and qualification by framing your bullets to showcase when you’ve done that task or something similar.
Pro tip: Always start with the most important and compelling parts of your story to hook the reader - just like a good book does.
Do: Format your resume so it’s clear and pleasing to the eye - without being fussy.
I suggest formatting your resume with a clean header (name, phone number, email, and LinkedIn link) and include your key branding words right underneath as a part of the header.
Next, use the first third or half of the page dedicated to "who you are and your why."
How do you do this?
Start with a headline that’s customized to the position. In the case of my client above, one of his headlines was, "Systematic and detail-oriented operations professional with a keen interest in global development and on a mission to make the world a better place."
Pro tip: Your headline should be both hyper translated to the position and showcase your key strengths and motivations.
Then follow up with bullets that highlight your most relevant experience and skills to the position, including your impressive achievements and anything else that tells the reader exactly why you’re applying to the role and how you’re perfectly qualified.
Here are two of the bullets my client used following the headline above:
"More than 10 years of experience managing operations in high-pressure and fast-paced customer facing industry, seeking to leverage this experience in a mission-based company with a commitment to building a compassionate and supportive workplace."
"Considerable skills and know-how in managing day to day operational and administrative functions, such as: budget management and forecasting; vendor and contract management; software and technology systems, security, and administrative management; and staff recruitment, hiring, and supervision."
Pro tip: these bullets above were crafted both from the key words in the position description and his experience.
Then, follow with relevant work experience, community leadership (if you’ve sat on boards, volunteered, etc.), awards, and education.
If you follow these guidelines you should see results fairly quickly.
Pro tip: It will feel cumbersome and take some time at first, but once you build your resume writing skills, it will come more naturally and take less time.
Of course, I’m always here to help get your resume optimized so you land your next job in no time.
Feel free to book a free consultation phone call and I’ll share more tips.
https://www.careerupgradecoaching.com/book-schedule-with-erin
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