As an executive, you know that your resume is one of the most critical career tools in your arsenal. Looking at your resume with a fresh outlook and greater emphasis on branding yourself is a crucial step in getting you the interviews that you deserve. There are many resume strategies that you can follow to get a company’s attention.
The coaches at Ignite Your Potential understand the significance and power of your resume. That’s why we’ve compiled three strategies for you to capture the opportunities that align with your next right fit career move.
1. Evidence
Decision-makers want proof. You may excel at what you do but providing evidence is essential. In other words, you need to support your claims in a specific and clear way. Proof that supports your unique traits and achievements, distinguishes you from other candidates who only claim they can successfully bring “X” to the table. If out of all the resume strategies, this is the most important.
This is a claim with desirable evidence:
- Generated a 9% profit growth in 13 months.
- Managed a team of 18 to execute new marketing strategies.
- In charge of direction, strategy, and management of X which represents 80% of our 1.2M budget.
2. Optimize Your Resume for ATS
Especially, when applying for a position online, a resume will most likely, be screened by ATS or Applicant Tracking Systems. Simply put, it’s software that supports electronic job recruitment and it can be a barrier that has nothing to do with your actual experience and expertise. Understanding the rules of ATS is essential to whether your resume passes through the gate or is kicked out. Almost 75 percent of job applications are rejected before they are seen by human eyes. Before they even see your credentials and highly-sought after skills, the ability for your resume to negotiate the ATS effectively, exponentially increases your chances to move to the next level and on your way to getting a callback. Out of all the resume strategies, this one is a direct door opener to the next step – the human contact. Here are a few tips for beating the Applicant Tracking Systems:
- Don’t bury your contact information in the header.
- Include keywords from the job description.
- Don’t use fancy templates that can get scrambled.
3. Make a Strategic Investment in Your Resume
The commitment of time and energy to present your achievements in a powerful way is perhaps the most important strategy. Our resume writers at Ignite Your Potential have worked with clients at every level of industry and profession. They know how to distill your resume into what decision-makers want to see, a clear and compelling resume that stands out. They know how to weave in your narrative, include aspects of your personality and strengths and craft materials that will get you interviews. Working with our highly experienced resume writers and their insider perspectives is a potent strategy not only for your resume but for the aspirations you have for your career.
These 3 items are common resume strategies that can be initiated. There are more than these, but these are a great start.
Our award-winning coaches at the Ignite Your Potential Centers offer a complimentary 25-minute phone session to help you navigate the world of resumes. We are the #1 career coaches in San Francisco and Los Angeles. Let us show you how we earned that praise.