7 strategies to make your resume attractive
Resume Tip #1 – Attractive Resume
1. An objective summary is frowned upon. It has been for over 20 years.
2. The objective used to tell the employer what the candidate wants. Today is out of date because you are obviously looking for a job!
3. The summary focuses on what you, as a candidate, can do for the employer. This is the section to feel good. It is equivalent to the handshake.
4. Highlighting soft skills here gives your resume a core of humanity.
Resume Tip #2: Catchy Headers
• Use “Core Competencies” if you have two to five years of experience or are changing careers. Provide categories of your experience here.
• Use “Professional Experience” if you have a longer work history. And yes, summarize them here.
• Use “Technical Competencies” if you are technically competent. This is a key area, especially for people applying for technical jobs.
Resume Tip #3: Engaging Experience
1. People end up paying more attention to functions and job descriptions than to accomplishments. Do not do that.
2. Include the results, effects and contributions made in your previous jobs, along with the name of the company, the position and the years of employment.
3. Keep them short, sweet, concise and compact.
4. State the most important points first.
5. List the most valuable bits first.
6. Avoid indicating more than 7.
Resume Tip #4: Engaging Education Highlights
1. Institution, dates of attendance, and degree or certification received are listed in the education section.
2. Professional development, continuing education, job training, and other non-traditional education should also be included here.
3. As a bonus, please list something you are currently doing. It shows that you want to learn and grow to be better.
Resume Tip #5: Attractive Finish
1. Here, add items that don’t fit in any of the other sections.
2. For a technical position, this could include experience with proprietary or custom software.
3. For an executive position, it could include leadership activities.
4. Significant awards, recognitions and achievements that deserve a little more attention than a detail elsewhere on the resume can go here.
Resume Tip #6: Commit to the End
1. Encapsulate the entire resume as a package.
2. Have a unique Focus & Brand
3. Give the employer something extra to look forward to
4. Make sure everything from design to presentation is different
5. Always remember: content is king!
Resume Tip #7: Participation 101
1. Don’t assume that just because you’re good at your job, you’re also good at Branding, Resume Writing, Interviewing Skills, and Job Searching. Leave this to the professionals. Being mentored will improve your chances of participating!