Our goal in this post is to blow up your resume in two ways. First, to blow up all the items on your resume holding you back. Second, to blow up your resume to out compete everyone else applying for the same positions. Let’s begin.
What’s my experience on resumes?
- I’ve helped a few people become directors and others to gain higher positions in their career.
- I’ve interviewed people for positions after reviewing their resumes.
- Plus I’ve switched jobs 4 times in the last 5 years, with each job leading to more income.
- In my current role as a project manager, I ensure teams of people work well together and reach their goals.
As we said before, the racial wealth gap is real. The gender gap is real. One of the best ways for minorities and women to reduce that gap is increase your income. One of the best ways to increase your income is moving to a better job or career. For that, a good resume is vital.
9 out of 10 resumes are awful
In our experience, 9 out of 10 resumes are awful. Professional recruiters or hiring managers spend 10 seconds or less looking at your resume. That’s if you are lucky and some AI malcontent software doesn’t weed you out first. The more time recruiters spend on your resume, the better your chances of getting an interview. Your goal is to put yourself above the 90% of people with awful resumes.
Dynamite every word that hurts you
Resumes are full of unclear phrases and unneeded words. Your resume is a marketing document. The product: you. Anything that doesn’t portray you in the best light or explain what you did clearly should be removed or edited. No one wants to know what you did in a role. What every company wants to know, how did you add value? If something looks good, but you can’t speak to it, take it out. Your resume can help you build confidence on what to highlight in an interview.
Example:
Old phrase: Member of product development team for Cool Sneakers
New phrase: Led product development team to add top requested feature for Cool Sneakers
The first is passive, the second is leading with an active verb. The first shows no value added, the second shows you played an integral role to add a top feature. Which phrase makes you stand apart from the crowd? The second one.
The Google XYZ method is your friend
What is the Google XYZ method? The term originates from Google, where recruiters see if you can jam in all your accomplishments into one page. This Inc articles summarizes the highlights. You should follow their tips. We will mention item #3 here: Use the X by Y by Z formula.
Google describes this as: “Accomplished [X] as measured by [Y], by doing [Z].” But just to make it easier to remember, let’s shorten it to X-Y-Z.
Inc
The article gives an example of good-better-best.
Inc
- OK: “Member of Leadership for Tomorrow Society”
- Better: “Selected as one of 275 for this 12-month professional development program for high-achieving diverse talent.”
- Best: “Selected as one of 275 participants nationwide for this 12-month professional development program for high-achieving diverse talent based on leadership potential and academic success.” Blue is X, Red is Y and White is Z. It’s a bit wordy, and the second line might be better to expand upon.
The Google XYZ method works for regular resumes and showcasing your experience on a college resume to apply for college too.
Stay away from paragraphs
No one is going to read pages of text in a paragraph. Use bullet points to make your case.
Example: I am a wordy piece of text. I wander around all over the place. I am not sure of what I am trying to say, or who I am trying to impress, or what I want to accomplish in my next role. I have lots of experience. Everyone likes me. I would be a great fit for your company.
Revised:
- I am a wordy piece of text
- I wander around all over the place
- I am not sure of what I am trying to say, or who I am trying to impress, or what I want to accomplish in my next role
- I have lots of experience
- Everyone likes me
- I would be a great fit for your company
Which one is easier to read? Even though my words are nonsense, it’s far easier to read the revised bullet points.
Save your resume as a PDF
- You don’t know how your resume will look like on the recruiter’s screen.
- To make sure your resume comes across the way you want, save your resume copy as a PDF.
- I keep my latest resume as a document file with the date in the name.
- When I am ready to apply for a job, I convert the latest resume into a pdf.
- It’s a subtle way to show the recruiter you updated the resume recently.
Conclusion
The day of the resume is past. It’s not the best way to find passionate, smart, motivated people for a particular role or working with a particular team. It is a screening tool. Use the tool to your advantage. That’s the game at the moment.
- Get short-listed as a top candidate
- Pass the interview
- Negotiate your compensation and benefits
- Accept your new role
If revising your resume is not your strength, there are resume writing companies that will work with you to craft a great resume. Think of it as an investment in yourself to get professional help.
Notes:
Here’s to resume destruction and creation!
Sincerely yours,
smilingdad
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