3 Steps To A Killer Resume

Your resume is the most important document in your career and the essential tool to help you get your foot in the door for an interview. If you are not getting calls for interviews, then you should review your resume to see if you are missing essential items that are causing it to be less effective. In short, the resume has to clearly answer the question, “Why should I hire you?” Your answer comes in 2 parts: your SUMMARY where you state “Here is what I can do for you” and your EXPERIENCE section where you prove it by highlighting your accomplishments.

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1. Does Your Opening Tell An Employer What You Have To Offer?

Your opening summary is the ONLY part of the resume that everyone will read. They will scan it and place you in a YES, NO, or MAYBE pile. As a result, you need to capture their attention up front - quickly. It’s easy to state what you are looking for, but what an employer really wants to know is what you have to offer to them. A good tip is to simply identify the 3-4 things that they are looking for and state that you can deliver them. For example: Manufacturing Production Manager with a consistent track record of exceeding productivity, safety and quality goals.  Sales Professional - Ranked in the top 5% for sales performance for over 10 years.

2. Describe Your Background

You just stated that you can deliver what they want. Now, describe your level of experience doing that. There is a big difference between the project manager who has three years of experience and managed five projects versus the one who has over 10 years of experience and has managed dozens of projects. So indicate your credentials and be sure to drop company names if they are well known, especially if they might not see the company name on the first page. For example: Over 15 years at global leaders Accenture and KPMG leveraging proven methodologies and leading multi-million dollar projects for blue chip clients. OR Over 10 years overseeing logistics and distribution including optimizing the efficiency of a 50,000 square foot warehouse with +10,000 SKUs.

3. Highlight Your Relevant Accomplishments

You have told them what you can do, so now prove it in the EXPERIENCE section. This is where you highlight your achievement against goals. Make sure these are in bullets so they are easy to see in the 10-second glance of your resume. For example:

• Increased on-time delivery rate from 77% to 98%.
• Increased productivity 22% against 10% goal while reducing safety incidents over 95%.

That’s it! Tell them you can deliver what they want, state your level of experience doing it, and infuse the resume with proof statements. How can anyone resist such a resume? Don Goodman, president of Resume Writing Service - About Jobs is a nationally recognized career expert. Get a free career assessment from Don here.Photo Credit: Shutterstock