By: Jill Thompson

Are you submitting handfuls of resumes online only to find that they are seemingly ending up in the black hole of the internet? Job searching can be an exciting time, but it can also be frustrating! There are many activities that go into a successful job search campaign and preparing a great resume is one of them.  It’s important to remember that the goal of your resume is to get an interview – so if you want the opportunity to share your story in person, follow along for these 3 resume insider secrets that could be your golden ticket to getting noticed amongst the competition.

Assess – Understanding how a recruiter or hiring manager assesses your resume is invaluable. It’s been said in the hiring world that you have 6-10 seconds for the reader to decide if your resume will go in the “yes” pile!  How likely is it that yours will make the cut? These are the preliminary areas of a resume that are scanned first to determine if it’s worth looking at further.

• Top Center – This is the place to see your name and contact information. Make sure yours is here.
• Top 2/3^rd of the first page – Plant the seeds of who you are in the top 2/3^rds of your resume or the part that is “2 thumbs up from the bottom” if you’re holding it. Make sure this prime resume real estate showcases the value you bring to an organization.
• Left Column – This will be quickly skimmed to see what companies you worked for and what roles you held.
• The second page of the resume will then be glanced over for other professional jobs and education.

Layout – What are the necessary sections to include in a resume? It’s important for your resume to read in a format that is easy to understand.  Here are six key areas to include:

• Name and contact information, including your LinkedIn URL.
• Branding Statement – Call it what you want: value proposition, career profile summary, etc. This is where you give the narrative of who you are and what value you bring to an employer. Be sure not to make this an objective statement. 
• Career Highlights – This is an opportunity to showcase up to three major accomplishments from your career. This can be an especially valuable section for someone who wants to get back into something they did earlier in their career.
• Professional Experience- This section is generally the meat of the resume and if you can put this in reverse chronological order, it’s the easiest to understand someone’s career history. It’s important to include bullets that demonstrate accomplishments and not just job duties.
• Education
• Volunteer Activities/Board Roles/Certifications/Skills – Any of these sections that would be relevant to your role can be added here.

Lastly, show your impact.  How will you show your value to a future employer?  Ask yourself “so what?” after you’ve added a bullet to you resume. What data or metrics can you include that highlight a problem solved? Showing the benefits that occurred as a result of your activities is impactful and allows you to control your story.

An easy to read, error free resume demonstrating your impact, value and career accomplishments is an indispensable tool to have during your job search. Knowing how your resume is initially read and what important sections to include will increase your odds of scheduling interviews.  In combination with a networking plan and great interviewing skills you will be landing the job of your dreams in no time! 

For more tips and career advice, please visit www.innovateiccc.com