Why Your Resume Isn’t Working

It’s all about YOU.

What you want.

What you’ve done.

Where you’ve been.

What your hobbies are.

Who cares?

The people who are hiring want to know “What will you do for ME?” Can you increase company sales? Will you develop new products that our customers will rush to buy? Are you proficient in the software packages we use? Will you add to our client list using your incredible marketing skills?

Then prove it.

Show them what you did at your last company. Don’t say, “I improved sales.” Say, “Increased sales by 15% each year by writing a company newsletter, keeping in contact with our clients and fulfilling their requests quickly and correctly.” Instead of, “I created several products,” say “Created a new vacuum cleaner that cost 12% less to produce and sold for twice as much as the model it replaced.”

Here are seven steps to change your weak resume into a powerful, attention getting resume.

1. Be specific. List numbers and percentages and time tables.

2. Show what you accomplished. Not what you were “responsible for”. Never use phrases like “duties included”.

3. Find out everything you can about the company before you send them anything. What are they most proud of? What is their mission statement? Then find out about the specific job.

4. If you found the job by an advertisement circle all the keywords in the ad and use them in your resume. Preferably bulleted in a skills summary in the top half of the resume.

5. Always send a customized cover letter. When possible, call ahead and find out the name and title of an actual person. Try to never send a letter addressed “To Whom it May Concern.”

6. Reread your resume putting yourself in the place of the employer. Do you sound like someone who would benefit the company or someone constantly looking for “what’s in it for me?”

7. Writing a great resume takes time. But sending out a weak resume will cost you more time and money in the long run. If you need help, track down a good writer with resume experience.

Changing the focus of your resume from you to them is often the difference between being tossed in the trash or snagging interviews. 

Article written by Rose Anderson, Professional Resume Writer

Call: 904-335-0122 or email: rose@andersonresumes.com for a free consultation.