Great resume writing is all about differentiating yourself from the others competing for the job. The purpose of a resume is to showcase what you have to offer, align it with the imperatives of your target job and present it all in a concise, vivid and compelling package that will get you noticed. If your resume is flat and boring, here’s how to breathe life into it.

The Criteria for Resume Success

The first thing you need to understand is what a “good” resume is. There are certain criteria that define the effectiveness of a resume.

It’s targeted to a position. A generic, unfocused resume won’t get you anywhere. The resume must be directed toward a specific position so that it aligns with the qualifications and requirements hiring decision-makers are looking for. When writing your resume, take into account any information you can get about the target job. Online job descriptions are a great resource.

It’s perfectly edited. A resume must include no, I repeat, no grammatical errors, misspellings or typos. It must have consistent and attractive formatting that’s easy to read. And, of course, it must be truthful.

It’s only two pages. Short resumes have always been the rule. Now, with so many decision-makers reviewing resumes on PDAs, the need for brevity is even greater. Use the information you can’t fit on your resume for supplementary documents and interviews.

Why Resume Branding Is So Important

The modern resume is first and foremost a pre-qualifier. Hiring decision-makers reviewing resumes are looking for good fit. Personal branding is key to surviving the screening process. In the context of job searching, branding is about communicating what makes you special. Use the resume to display your brand attributes—your unique strengths, talents, vibrant traits and passions.

Another key function of the resume is to create the right chemistry with the reader. Branding is what creates chemistry. It turns your resume from a piece of paper or digital image to the rendering of a flesh-and-blood person. It also makes for interesting reading and allows your resume to stand out from the hundreds of other boring entries.

How to Use the Resume to Self-Brand

Let me wrap up by explaining how to turn the resume into a branding device:

Talk money. Assign monetary values to your qualities, strengths and experiences. Use dollar amounts and percentages to chronicle your impact on the bottom line of the companies you’ve worked for. Make statements like: “Reduced reportable injuries nine straight years with a 125% decrease in three of six years” (I ask you safety professionals out there to indulge me if I’m not using the terminology right and I’m hoping you get my drift).

Use buzzwords. Get feedback on your performance, leadership talents and strengths and pay close attention to the words people use to describe your qualities. These words are important because they capture your value in the eyes of others. So use these words and phrases in your resume to establish your brand.

Write a stand-alone branding statement. Place a brand statement of no more than four lines at the top of your resume vividly announcing what you’re offering and how you’re different from others.

Include career-defining success stories. Identify your top career accomplishments and highlight the ones that are most relevant to and likely to resonate with the reader. Present each accomplishment as a “story” of how you tackle and overcome challenges. Illuminate these accomplishments within the framework Challenge/Action(s)/Result(s). There may only be room in your resume for one or two stories. Keep the rest ready for interviewing and/or use them in a separate “Achievement Summary” addendum.

Conclusion

For many people, the hardest part of writing a resume is getting all of this good stuff down to just two pages. Just remember that today’s resume isn’t a comprehensive career history. It’s a career marketing or advertising tool designed to capture immediate attention, generate interviews and prequalify you for a higher starting salary. Your resume needs to provide just enough information to accomplish these objectives.

Wishing you career success,
Lauryn Franzoni
ExecuNet, www.execunet.com

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