Your resume is the most important document in any job search.
But what if you're submitting resume after resume and receiving no
results at all -- not even a call? Your resume may be fatally flawed.
How
can a resume betray a job seeker? It's not just typos or poor
formatting. "The biggest flaw for a resume is when it fails to showcase a
person's accomplishments, contributions and results, and instead spouts
a job description of each position he's held," says Lauren Milligan,
founder of ResuMayDay, a resume-writing and career-coaching firm based
near Chicago,
Use these three tips to make sure your resume doesn't betray you.
1. Think Big
Whatever
jobs you've held -- be it as an assistant or a CEO -- think beyond the
everyday tasks of your position. "People get bogged down in the
day-to-day details of their jobs, but when it comes to your resume,
you've got to get out of the clutter and ask yourself, 'What does this
work mean?'" Milligan says.
If a manager is
hiring for an administrative assistant, he already knows what an admin
does and doesn't want to see a resume that says an applicant can type
and answer a phone. "You have to go beyond that to point out your
specific strengths," Milligan says.
Start by
having big-picture conversations about what you do and how it serves the
organization as a whole. "If you're in a support position, consider how
successful the person you support is and how you help her do her job
better," Milligan says. "What role do you have in her successes? Those
are your accomplishments."
2. Be Clear
Focusing
on your accomplishments rather than your specific responsibilities will
help keep your resume concise. "There's a huge difference between a
resume and the Great American Novel," says Milligan. "The resumes I'm
most proud of summed up a 25-year career in a single page."
She
urges job seekers to remember that resumes are typically skimmed for a
mere six to eight seconds. "Make sure you're identifying the companies
you worked for, how long you were there and if you earned a promotion,"
she says. "Those are things that people look for immediately." Also, if
your job title is long and vague, tighten it up so that people
immediately understand what you've done. For example, "Marketing
Manager" is much more accessible than "Global Identity Architect."
Given
the time you have to catch a recruiter's eye, a focused,
accomplishment-driven resume is the way to go. "If you are loaded up on
peripheral stuff, it's too hard for a hiring manager to find your
story," Milligan says.
3. Get Real
What if you come up blank when trying to think about how you've helped build the big picture for your employer?
"A
couple of times I've talked to people who insisted they just did their
jobs and there's nothing special about them that jumps out," Milligan
says. She's asked them outright if they're in the right position. "It's a
difficult question to ask, but these people may be chasing the wrong
job," she says.
She counsels clients that if
they cannot speak about what they've done in terms of enhancing the
position or the company, "You may be just punching a clock -- and you
and your employer deserve more."
Look for
other opportunities in which you can contribute and grow
professionally. You'll enjoy a more rewarding career and have a more
successful resume.
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