Resume Help Articles and Resources

Is Your Resume Not Getting Any Response?

Is Your Resume Not Getting Any Response? - If your resume isn't getting the response you expect, this article might point out some areas to improve on to produce the response you want.

Resume Mistakes Uncovered 2006  - Avoid some of the common mistakes made on resumes today. Don't let misspellings, inaccurate information or incorrect dates keep you from getting the job you want.

Your Resume: A Value Proposition - Sell yourself well in your resume. Make a strong value proposition in your resume for the hiring manager to notice.

Return on Investment on your Resume - Showing a company that you are a good investment for them to consider can be tricky. On your resume you want to demonstrate times that you generated revenue in excess of the money spent on your training and development and this article will help you do just that.

Is Your Resume Not Getting Any Response?

No results, only duties
If a resume is only a list of responsibilities, it doesn't allow the employer to understand why a resume represents a person that is the perfect candidate for the position. To make your resume stronger, demonstrate how you are different. You should articulate your successes throughout your career in your resume.

Dollars and Cents
Make it easy to spot any increases in dollars or percentages you've had in each position. A company reviewing your information wants a good fit for the position to increase profitability by minimizing training costs associated with a bad hire. Make it easy for the reader to understand your assets. Demonstrate in your resume how you contributed to the bottom line wherever possible.

Empty promises
If you have certifications or information that are outdated or inaccurate on your resume, it may not be as appealing to an HR manager. Update the information you provide and be sure that you graduated from the organization you list on the resume.

Overblown
If your resume is overflowing with action verbs, making it so the reader cannot understand the actual work you accomplished, tone the resume down. Action words have a place in a resume, but too much of anything is not good.

Personal Information
Many people over explain their situation - whatever that may be - in a resume. For example, if you were a stay at home mom for five years and are re-entering the work place, then format your resume to emphasize your work experience and leave the personal information out, utilizing a hybrid or functional resume.

Armed with this information you should be ready to begin drafting your resume so that it makes it to the top of the stack. If you get stuck, hire a professional. The main focus should be to make your career history stand out with things you've achieved above and beyond those of your peers.

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Resume Mistakes Uncovered 2006 - not the little ones, the big ones
You do not want your resume overlooked because you didn't know these common errors. Larger errors than misspellings, inaccurate information, untrue graduation dates are the deadly untold resume mistakes. Many times these will cause even the perfect candidate's resume to be discarded. If you know the common mistakes made on a resume, you can be sure you are not unknowingly sending out your resume with these glaring errors.

Resume is void of results-focused information
If your resume reads like anyone that has had a similar background to yours, then it is not good. That means your immediate competitors' resumes read just like yours. You must differentiate yourself. Tell about the project you had that saved the day and your role.

A whole lot about nothing
If your resume is more than two pages, re-evaluate your resume. There is a time when a three-page resume is appropriate, but be sure that means you. If your resume discusses things that are not vital to the particular job for which you are applying, eliminate them.

One style doesn't fit all
After reading what the company wants for a particular position in the job posting, be sure your resume reflects your experience that is mentioned in the description. Do not lie but make sure any experience you've had throughout your career that is mentioned in the job description is highlighted in your resume.

Ten pounds in a five-pound bag
Too much to read on your resume can be your downfall. A resume with small margins, smaller font, no bullets and everything written in long paragraphs is not good. Make sure the format is easy on the eyes. Don't make it cumbersome to read. Readers will give up quickly - you only have 30 seconds.

Personal information on the resume
A resume must be about your career history - although there can be exceptions, there is typically nothing personal in a resume. College resumes often include hobbies; after college stick to the subject at hand - your qualifications.

Now take an objective eye to your resume. See if you have fallen into any of the common errors and make adjustments. Then you can watch the power of your new resume in action.

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Your Resume: Think of it as Your Personal Value Proposition

Value is in the eye of the beholder. A value proposition is a statement selling the customer (the hiring manager) on products (you) through benefits or results. You can also define a resume as a written summary that sells you by demonstrating your successes throughout your career. Your value proposition (resume) should answer the question, "Why should I hire this person?" Remember, value is different for each person, so be sure you think of value in terms of the employer before you complete your resume.

The goal of your resume is to establish value

Your resume is meant to convey your entire career history in seconds. The recruiter or HR professional will merely glance at your resume initially to see if you are even worth their time. There are a few things to take from this information:

1. You have to engage the reader in less than 30 seconds.
2. Your resume should prove you have the experience and core skills to excel in the position you are seeking.

Make sure that your summary or objective is very specific. This should be changed to be specific for each job. You want the manager to know exactly where you will fit in before they are finished reading your resume.

How does Value Proposition matter in your resume?
In a resume you are the product or service and the prospective employer is looking for the reason your product (you) is the one they need. The tangible results will be the numbers and percentages you give in regard to your experiences throughout your career.

How do you figure out your Value Proposition?
Think of what you accomplished in relation to your peers and describe it in your resume. Ask yourself: "What was usually mentioned positively in my reviews? What did I do to increase profitability to the company? How did my work make a difference for the company?" These questions will help you get started.

How do I demonstrate my value in tangible results on my resume?
Think of the previous questions and calculate the dollar amounts for each success. For example you thought after asking yourself the questions above, "I closed sales that made the company a lot of money." Now to get the tangible part of this achievement, think of the dollars behind this transaction. Your sales were $1 million dollars. This accomplishment put you 15% over your goal for last year. Now list that by stating on your resume: "Favorably positioned negotiations to win a competitive contract against three major competitors that resulted in a $1 million sales transaction." Now your value proposition to the recruiter or HR professional is becoming more clear.
Remember it is not what YOU feel is important

Always write your resume with the future reader in mind. The value proposition by definition refers to the buyer (the hiring manager). Be sure not to get in the trap of trying to please your co-workers, friends or spouses with your resume. Your resume should only be written for a future hiring manager. Continue writing your resume as a value proposition and you are sure to attract the attention of a prospective employer to your product (you).

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Demonstrate your Worth! - Job Seeker Guide to ensuring Return on Investment on your Resume!
 Return on Investment is defined as: A figure of merit used to assist in making investment decisions. ROI is calculated by the annual benefit less the investment amount.

Mathematically:

Revenue generated as a result of your success
- Monies invested in your training/development

****Your Personal Return on Investment****

The above formula is one way to look at the goal in terms of your resume. If you make sure that you demonstrate in terms of numbers (a figure of merit) to help HR make the best hiring decision on behalf of the company (so HR can make a positive investment decision), you will bring added value (profitability) to the company. For a resume you want to exceed in revenue the money the company spends on you in terms of training. Think of crafting your resume with this in mind.

Here is a good example:
You are in sales and you closed a sale with a key account for the company. Don't just mention in your resume you closed a key client for the company, but that you closed the key client which contributed $10 million in revenue for the company. This demonstrates not only your ability to close sales, but the value you have as an employee for your current employer. A statement like this allows hiring managers to imagine the success you will have within their corporate environment. They can envision your success within their company. That is how you want your prospective employers to be thinking about you: How you will bring value (ultimately profitability) to their company.

There are many ways to demonstrate your successes with numbers - whether it is percentages, increased revenue or profitability, it is always nice to have numbers to demonstrate your success.

Now think of how you are different from your peers. What makes you special? Use this information to put yourself in the lead with prospective employers. What can you bring to the company that others cannot? Thinking of our last example, why were you able to close that large account? Think about what made the sale go through. Was it your ability to speak with the clients, isolate their problems or suggest a solution that would better their business? Was your ability to really get to know the executives and develop a trusting relationship enough so these key executives took your advice and purchased the product to better their business? Whatever your differentiating factor, you should be sure it is included in your professional resume.

Emphasize your successes.
Don't get bogged down in your duties. A good resume should always clearly explain to a reader why you are better than your competition. Focusing on results is the key to a successful resume. Be sure your resume is not a job description copied from your organization's website. It is very important to not only put your job description, which is the minimum you must do in a position, but to give hard facts about your abilities. This will speak to the next employer in regard to why you are the clear choice for the next position you are seeking. Go ahead and separate yourself from the crowd - become the leader of all the other candidates trying for the same position.

If you are still drawing a blank on your personal differentiating factors for your resume, think of your performance reviews. What were your strengths? Now with those strengths what were your personal abilities? Let's say your strength in your performance review was your ability to effectively communicate with customers. Now think about your background and what success came to the company as a result? You think, "Well I brought in many new accounts due to my ability to develop positive rapport with clients." If you were given praise from your employer on any project or account you worked with, think of things that affected them. Did you complete projects ahead of schedule due to your clear vision of how things needed to be carried out? Even if it was 10 days, think of it in terms of dollars. How much would 10 days less of overhead for your company save the company? That is how to incorporate numbers into your resume, to be sure you stand out.

Most positions will allow you to calculate how it was beneficial to the company in terms of numbers, dollars or percentages. Now what if you cannot? Then think of things you may have implemented or changed to make them better. Maybe you implemented a better way to work to improve efficiencies. Think like this. People in marketing sometimes have this problem. They have no tangible numbers to give on a resume. In this case think of client satisfaction, positive client feedback or product launch success as a result of marketing campaigns and so forth.

Now you should have a better idea on how to demonstrate your Return on Investment in terms of your career. Just use successes in terms of numbers or efficiencies to draft a winning resume, interview well and acquire the job of your dreams.

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