Targeting Your Resume for Different Jobs
Almost every client I work with has some nuances to their search. Really, aren’t we all a little diverse in our experiences? Interestingly, for the ones who are not, that’s always the biggest roadblock in their pursuit of happiness…they are stuck in a box and can’t get out.
For the rest of you, the challenge is this. How do I create a resume that will allow me to apply to lots of different jobs? Do I need lots of different resumes?
It’s a doozy, right?
Here’s the deal. Applying to jobs is time-consuming. No one is organized enough to maintain 7 different resumes and keep track of changes you make, then apply that across each. If you are, you should immediately change your career focus to professional organizer!
What I do with my clients is work with them to identify their professional brand. Figure out that particular brand of awesome that makes them different, what sets them apart from the competition, and then – most importantly – how to sell it and to whom.
It can be daunting (torturous, even) to work on things like this alone. Endless evaluation and self-examination, comparing yourself to the competition, figuring out the competition, back to the self-evaluation. It’s exhausting!
Then how do you apply to different jobs – what are the keywords from the job description that need to be in your resume to attract the right recruiters?
Before you know it, you’re stuck on a hamster wheel, running around and around in circles.
How do you get off? Simple! Stop focusing all your attention on the online job market.
- Differentiate yourself with a powerful resume. Create a resume that is unique and that clearly articulates your value, then quantifies the results that come from that value.
- Start building a strong network. Once the job hits the open market, it likely has already been filled. Only 20% of jobs are filled through online application.
- Don’t apply for jobs that you are not qualified for! Just because you “could” do that job, doesn’t mean someone you have never met will contact you to interview you for it. If your dream job is a reach job, you need to work that from another angle. The job boards will not work for you.
- Stop obsessing over your resume. Work with a certified and proven expert, invest in yourself, and then focus your efforts on your search strategy. Instead of tweaking your resume every hour, spend that same 15 minutes on LinkedIn, using the powerful search feature to find 5 hiring managers. Reach out to them!
While your resume is always a work in progress, it’s only 1 component of your search. If done right, it should be very easily customized for different opportunities. The trap that many people fall into is focusing only on the resume because it feels controllable.
I challenge you to flip the script! Take control of EVERY aspect of your job search. Start building a rich network with connections that will enable you to access jobs before they hit the open market. Take control of your personal brand – don’t let others interpret what you are and what you can do. Make it easier for people to help you find your next opportunity by getting clear on what you are great at and where you can add the most value.
Book an intro call to learn more so we can get started creating your story – https://calendly.com/rhresumes
5 Things to Stop Doing in Your Job Search if You Want to Find a Job
Most of my advice is around “how to’s”. How to write a resume. How to optimize LinkedIn. How to demonstrate your value to an employer. While all of this is very important, like anything else, the “how not to’s” can be equally as critical.
- Don’t copy and paste your resume into your LinkedIn. Are they very similar? Absolutely! Are they exactly the same. Not really. LinkedIn is not as formal, hard hitting, or as private as your resume. By doing a blanket copy-paste you are exposing yourself to various issues. Your resume, by design, should be quantified like crazy – numbers used as much as possible to demonstrate your effectiveness. LinkedIn is not the place for these kinds of numbers. It feels different – show-ier and boastful – and can offend a current or potential employer who feels you are not discrete with proprietary data.
- Don’t just rely on job boards. Sure, there is a place for job boards. Fill out a profile and post your resume to LinkedIn and Indeed. Career Builder if you must, and niche job boards if you are in an industry that warrants it. But please, if you are going to invest time and/or money in your resume, don’t just send it out using job boards. It’s a waste of time. You absolutely need to be networking, using LinkedIn, thinking and acting outside of the job board box if you want to stand out.
- Don’t send standard form letters as thank yous. While you absolutely need to send a thank you letter. I don’t even offer thank you letters as a service to my clients! I feel so strongly that they should be written after the job interview and targeted around the actual content of my interview that I will not craft them before my clients as part of the resume writing process.
- Don’t rely on the opinion of one person when writing your resume. Whether that person is a professional resume expert like myself or an HR director like your favorite aunt, it’s one person’s opinion. The effectiveness of the resume in many ways parallels the housing market. If your house is priced effectively and the market is efficient, the house will move. Our job market is currently relatively efficient. There are great opportunities out there and companies are hiring. If you are realistic in your expectations and have a resume that effectively showcases your value, anchored by quantifiable or demonstrable achievements, and you are working your network, it is very likely that doors will open.
- Don’t forget to do your homework. If you have made it to the interview stage, it is up to you to close the deal. At the very least, Google the company, find the company page on LinkedIn, locate the person who is interviewing you on LinkedIn, read the website, and come up with a few conversation starter questions. Who are their competitors? What are the primary challenges faced by the person in this role? Is this a new position? You get the idea.
Wondering what I can do for your resume and your job search? I help my clients refine, quantify, and clearly communicate their value to potential employers. The modern resume needs to be eye-catching, concise, and powerful. There is no risk to reaching out and if you’re reading this post, you are probably struggling with an aspect of your search. Mention code 5DONTS to receive a free cover letter with your resume project. Let’s get started today!
How To Write the Perfect Resume…And Other Unicorn Myths!
Is there really a such thing as a perfect resume? Unfortunately, it’s not that simple; however, by keeping a few guidelines in mind you CAN create a branded, targeted resume that positions you for new opportunities!
Resumes need to be customized to your unique goals, objective, and value proposition.
The one-size-fits-all approach runs the risk of making you look like a jack-of-all-trades but master of none. If you don’t have a specific field or position to target, you can still focus your resume by honing in on key transferable skills and utilizing quantifiable metrics to demonstrate mastery.
Here’s the challenge though. Even a professionally written, amazing resume may not get your foot in the door for career pivot opportunities on its own. You still need to do some networking work on your end to crack the door open.
Think of your resume as the door stop you jam into the slightly ajar opening.
Don’t think you have a network? Think again. Everyone you know is part of your network. Just because you are shy or introverted doesn’t mean you can’t start networking like a boss.
In fact, sometimes the more passive approach works in your favor. People who know and love you are excited to be able to finally help you with something because you have never asked them before!
Ok. Back to the “perfect resume”. My team and I create amazingly branded resumes that boost your confidence and pique the interest of hiring managers to get your phone ringing. As a professional resume writer, what I do for my clients is three-fold.
1) Understand your strengths
2) Qualify & quantify your achievements
3) Demonstrate your emotional intelligence in addition to subject matter expertise
Interested in learning more? Contact me to set up a consultation and mention promo code PERFECTRESUME for a free cover letter with your resume order!
Does My Resume Need An Objective?
Nope. Not really.
Short answer but here’s the deal. Resumes are a marketing piece. Your personal brand showcase.
When you love see a Nike ad, does it lead with a statement about how the sneakers want to run?
Just like a commercial is designed to make you want to buy what the seller is selling, your resume should be designed to make a hiring manager want to talk to you!
An objective is a needy statement that can be clearly conveyed through the unique presentation of skills and experience that you set forth in your resume.
The first section of your resume should be a well thought out profile, one that brands you and aligns with the type of position you are seeking. If you are looking for that next step in your career, this is the place to put yourself out there as the perfect candidate for that next step role.
As you think about the best way to showcase what you have to offer, think about the functional capabilities that will attract the hiring manager, such as building and leading a team or social media marketing, and then come up with a few quantifiable achievements that represent your expertise in those areas. Create a mini highlight section with bold or keyword headers to really draw attention to those areas.
Don’t think you have accomplishments to share? It can be a little challenging if you aren’t in a field such as sales or operations where everything is goal-/metric-driven, or in a company that doesn’t really measure performance.
Try to put yourself on the other side of the desk – come up with some examples of how you solved a problem for your team, your customers, your boss, or your company. Include details that indicate scope and showcase how you left a department or issue in better shape than you found it.
For inspiration, search through your emails! Another great source is your performance evaluations if you have them.
Resumes are not as cold and boring as they once were. Don’t be afraid to show some personality with color, a quote from a happy customer or a supervisor, or a graphic that visually demonstrates your accomplishments. Just remember to keep it clean and professional. Also keep in mind that any images or text boxes are skipped by ATS so any content here should be repeated elsewhere. One trick I use is to type the text underneath the image so it’s scannable.
Your resume is an investment in your future and often your one shot to make a great impression. If you are struggling or feel like your resume just doesn’t do you justice, it’s probably not! It’s hard to talk about yourself and objectively identify your strengths.
When I work with my clients, I learn about their goals and careers to tell their story in a very clear and professional manner through their career marketing collateral. Think of me as your career ninja – a detective that uncovers and promotes your personal brand!
Let’s get started on your resume today. Email me at [email protected] to learn more.
