PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Trending Now: Your Resume? The basics of a good resume may seem like they’re similar from year to year, but savvy job hunters keep their eyes — and their strategies — focused on what impresses today’s recruiters
BY JENNIFER MILLER Professional Edge Resumes
To get a job interview, your resume and cover letter need to impress recruiters. But is your resume ready? When was the last time you updated your career documents? Do you understand current resume trends — or is your resume as old fashioned as the typewriter collecting dust in the basement? Incorporating current trends can help you build an effective resume that you’re proud of and ready to present to potential employers. Here are a few things to consider. • Highlight accomplishments, not responsibilities. Two words that should never appear on a resume are “responsibilities included.” Use verbs to start your sentences. Don’t simply list day-to-day tasks that your job title likely implies. Consider creative ways to list keywords on your resume, such as a section dedicated to your areas of expertise • Write clearly and concisely. Your resume must make an impact within a few seconds, so keep details to the point. Balance text with white space for proper readability. When in doubt, have a colleague or friend review your documents to make sure he or she is able to quickly pick out important messages and identify your value • Remove outdated content. Generally speaking, resumes should list details from the past 10 to 15 years of your professional career. In listing employment older than that, you risk dating yourself and could be overlooked. And if you completed post-secondary education more than two or three years ago, consider removing the completion date • Modernize the format of your career documents. If your resume still uses Times New Roman, chances are it needs freshening up. Keep the font simple and use 10- or 11-point type for most of the text. Borders, subtle colours, bolding and italics can add visual interest and help the reader pick out key details • Make your resume ATS friendly. That’s applicant tracking system friendly. Most resumes are scanned by an ATS before they are ever seen by a human being. ATS software cannot read text contained in headers, footers or text boxes. You should have
two versions of your resume — one for online submission and one that is more visually appealing for networking
TRANFORM YOUR RESUME WITH A BRANDING STATEMENT
Another recent trend in resume writing is the use of branding state- ments. A strong branding statement can truly make your resume a marketing tool and will set you apart from other candidates. A branding statement — sometimes referred to as a value proposition — tells the employer exactly what you have to offer. Branding statements vary greatly, depending on your job and industry, but the common thread is that they showcase what you bring to the table. Usually, branding statements are written at the top of your resume, beneath your name and contact information. It’s best to highlight up to three important skills that you possess — skills that can be written in a sentence or even as a list of terms. Keep your branding statement to one or two lines. It must be easy to read and understand. By removing the old-fashioned career objective from your resume and replacing it with a creative and powerful branding statement, you transform your resume and improve your chances of securing an interview. Instead of telling employers what you want , you are explaining what you can offer .
FOCUS, FOCUS, FOCUS
To compile an effective resume, you have to be in the right frame of mind. Here are some tips to think about as you create content for your resume. • Select a target. Your resume should be tailored for the type of position you plan to apply for. There is no such thing as a good generic resume. In order to have a strong and focused resume, you must know your target. If you have several targets, you may need multiple resumes or different versions of your resume
“By removing the old-fashioned career objective from your resume and replacing it with a creative and powerful branding statement, you transform your resume and improve your chances of securing an interview. Instead of telling employers what you want, you are explaining what you can offer ”
SPRING 2015 PEG | 43
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