Writing a resume that tells a hiring manager about your credentials, experience and accomplishments is the easy part. Writing a resume that forces a hiring manager to pick up the phone - NOW - and invite you in for an interview - PRONTO - is a much tougher assignment.
What are hiring managers looking for?
They want:
1) Clarity – they want you to tell your story clearly, concisely and in a format they can easily read.
2) Criteria - they want a candidate that meets their hiring requirements. They want to see the qualifications, education and experience needed for the job they’re trying to fill.
3) Correctness – no “gilding the lily”. They want a truthful, accurate picture of who you are, what you can do, and where you did it. They don’t want typos, spelling errors or grammar mistakes.
So, if all things in the resumes of two job applicants were essentially equal, why would a hiring manager contact one candidate for the interview over another?
It’s all about how you sell your personal brand. It’s all about how you differentiate yourself in the market. It’s the WOW. It’s the things that make you the “must-have” candidate that everyone wants to interview. You have to create a sense of excitement – a buzz – around your brand. Remember, a resume is a marketing tool. It has to highlight your strengths and your contributions in a way that make YOU the standout applicant. You have to tell the story of your professional life in a compelling and powerful way.
When I work with clients on rewriting their resumes, I ask them to run the “so what” test on every single sentence. Here’s how the “so what” test works: read each line in your resume, then ask yourself, “so what? Would someone hire me because of this?” If the line is a reason to hire you, great – leave it in. If it’s not, you should probably take it out.
Your resume has to show that you’re up on the latest technologies, trends and issues in your industry. Show that you’re knowledgeable about the hot-button topics that everyone in your field is talking about NOW. Let hiring managers know that you’re ahead of the curve. You’re up on the latest developments in your field. You know what the latest and greatest products. You know what’s coming on the horizon. Tell the hiring manager that you’re up on what’s “IN” and what’s “OUT” in your professional arena.
Hiring managers and recruiters see and scan thousands of resumes every month. Make your resume the one they actually READ – and GET the interview!