| It's no secret that the job market is highly competitive, | | | | is your personal brand, an entry point for readers to |
| with sometimes hundreds of candidates competing for | | | | build interest, and garner interviews. |
| a single position. Don't lessen your chances with a | | | | 2) FOCUS ON EMPLOYMENT COVERING THE |
| resume that doesn't present you at your very best, or | | | | PAST 10-12 YEARS |
| that doesn't adhere to the HIGHLY SPECIFIC criteria | | | | Nothing saps reader interest that having to slog |
| used by recruiters/hiring managers. Use these proven | | | | through a 20+ work history. Hiring agents are primarily |
| strategies to edge out the competition. | | | | concerned with employment covering the past 10-12 |
| 1) IDENTIFY AND HIGHLIGHT YOUR UNIQUE VALUE | | | | years. Jobs you've held during this period should be |
| Haphazardly jamming together your work history and | | | | emphasized, with all others minimized within an |
| calling it a resume will lead to nothing except rejection. | | | | "Additional Experience" section or similar. This helps |
| Hiring agents want to know what sets YOU apart. | | | | your resume RETAIN FOCUS, and creates a need for |
| What can you bring to the table that no other | | | | interested parties to call you in for an interview to |
| candidate can? | | | | garner additional details. Remember that an effective |
| Analyze your career to discover unique skills. For | | | | resume presents an OVERVIEW of your abilities, not |
| example, are you particularly adept at building | | | | a full summary. |
| mentoring teams? Have you expanded business | | | | 3) DON"T BE AFRAID TO TALK YOURSELF UP! |
| relationships, or demonstrated exceptional technical | | | | A resume is not the place for modesty. Look for |
| expertise? Make a list of them. | | | | every opportunity to tout your skills and |
| Now go through postings for jobs you'd consider | | | | accomplishments. For example, a line like, "Trained |
| applying for. Which skills keep popping up as prized | | | | staff and controlled scheduling for projects" is bland |
| amongst employers? Which of them are on your list? | | | | and totally ineffective. It can be re-written along the |
| These are the ones that need to be highlighted in 3 | | | | lines of, "Expanded staff capabilities through hands-on |
| places: the OPENING of your resume, your WORK | | | | training, and managed scheduling to ensure on-time |
| HISTORY, and in the COVER LETTER. In effect, this | | | | project completion." See the difference? |