Resume writing course - Part 1
Welcome to my resume writing mini course.
I'm glad you're here.
Now more than ever, you need a great resume. We all know that
the job market is tough right now - but what most
people don't know is that simple changes to their
resume can significantly increase their chances
of interviews and job offers.
This means most people (probably including you!) are missing
out on lots of opportunities simply because
their resume doesn't grab attention.
That’s
a crying shame and it's one of the reasons I love
my job as professional resume writer. Being able to
transform someone's resume is about more than just
putting words on paper. It's about helping them
change their lives. Quite literally!
But I know everyone can't hire a
professional to rewrite their resume and that's why
I developed this course. After years of experience
in HR, I know what pushes recruiters' buttons
and what makes managers want to arrange an interview.
Now I’ve
put my resume writing approach into an easy-to-follow
system that YOU can use to transform your own resume.
For the purposes of this course, I am calling it
the P.O.W.E.R. Resume System (Maybe that sounds a
little cheesy but I like acronyms because they help
you remember the steps). Here's
how it works:
P = Put Yourself in their Shoes
O = Offer Value
W = Write the Proof
E = Explain the Context
R = Revise for Every Application
You’ll receive a lesson each day, and each of the first
5 lessons will focus on one of these strategies.
(The last few emails will focus on how to use the
resume effectively).
Before we start with the first step, let me just
say this: To see success, you have to stick
with the program. (It's a bit like dieting only easier!)
It’s critical
that you make all of these changes. Don’t skip one because
you don’t
know how to do it. Take the time to figure it out,
because the results will be more than worth your
while.
Trust me.... resumes written using this approach
push every single button with recruiters, managers
and HR folks. Given that, it’s worth taking the time to
get it right.
So let’s get started with the first lesson, which is ....
Most resumes fail because the focus is wrong. Job
seekers are so concerned about their needs, and their
experiences, and making sure they explain everything
they've done, that they
don't stop to think about what the employer is looking
for.
Think about it - how many resumes start with an objective?
Maybe you've even started your own resume with an
objective. (Why not? It's what you've seen other
people do.)
Here's why not.
The company doesn't care about you!
Oh, they might care about you at some point down
the road, if they
hire you and you do a good job, but right now they
could care less what
you want to do with your life, or what kind of company
you prefer. They're not bad people. They just don't
know you!
Which makes your objective meaningless to
them. All they care about is their own situation.
So the key shift is simply this (and it should infuse everything
you do with your resume): It's not about you
- it's about the employer.
Employers hire employees for 3 reasons:
1. To solve a problem
2. To capitalize on an opportunity
3. A combination of both
(I guess maybe there's a 4th possibility which is
that the CEO demanded a position for his nephew,
but I'm going to assume that's not the case with
you!)
These 3 reasons apply whether they are filling an
entry-level position or a senior leadership role.
No one just creates a vacancy for the fun of it.
So, when she receives an influx of
resumes, the hiring manager isn't thinking "let me see what
these people are looking for in their next position." Instead,
she is thinking "which of these people will best
help me solve my problem/capitalize on my opportunities? " (This
is truer than ever in the current economic
climate).
And of the resumes she sees, 95%
or more won't answer her question. This is your opportunity!
If you address her concerns and questions, you have
automatically lifted your resume into the top 5%
of all the resumes she will see. That's bound to
improve your job search results.
Important Note: Each lesson that I send is
very important to achieving this result, so please
keep an eye out for each email (or just buy
my book). It's worth investing the time in getting this right.
Throughout this course I'll be talking about the
way marketers think and how you can use their techniques
to transform your resume. And the first thing you
need to understand about
successful marketers is that they start from their
audience and work backwards.
In other words, they design a product and a marketing
campaign in order to meet the needs of their audience.
The first step they take is to understand people's
needs, and then develop a product that meets that
need, and a marketing campaign that communicates
how they can meet the need.
You can use the same technique to make employers
notice your resume. (This is why I love what I do!
I know some people think it’s geeky to sit at a computer writing all
day, and it probably is :) But I love the fact that by manipulating
words, I change people’s lives. These techniques will change
yours too if you apply them all).
Let me tell you a story that perfectly
illustrates the need to understand your audience (and how almost
all job seekers don’t).
I recently hired an assistant.
I did this because I had too much work and was falling
behind. In addition, clients were not able to reach
me by phone and I had noticed small things falling
through the cracks as
our business grew.
When I looked at the applicants, my concern was to
solve this problem, so I knew I needed someone who
was highly organized and who was personable on the
telephone. I also knew
I needed a quick learner who could work without a
lot of direction (if I had time to give direction,
I'd have time to do the work
myself!)
The successful candidate was the one who most displayed
these qualities, both in her application and during
her interview. But most of the applicants had clearly
not understood my needs,
and were sending me the same resume they sent everyone.
Many included information I had not requested, such
as their typing
speed (don't care!) and the fact that they were highly
proficient in Excel (don't need it!) but didn't address
the specifics I
outlined in my advertisement.
Any small business owner in my position would have
been looking for the same skills, but most of the
applicants hadn't closely read the advertisement
or done any research into
my industry. Therefore, they had no idea of the challenges
I was facing and couldn't convince me they could
help.
This is why knowing your audience is so important
before you start rewriting your resume. Ask yourself
if you truly understand the concerns and needs of
the managers who will be reading your resume - if
you don't, you have some research to do. If you do,
keep those concerns top of mind the whole way through
the resume rewrite process.
Knowing their problems is key to being able to address them
- and that's what we'll be covering in the next few
email lessons.
========================================================
WANT TO LIFT YOURSELF INTO THAT TOP 5% RIGHT NOW?
In my book, "The Complete Guide to Resume Writing,"
I share my secrets for making every word of your
resume answer this one key question. I'll teach you
how to research your target audience, understand
what they're worried about, and craft a resume that
directly addresses them. Each of my strategies will
ensure that your phone starts ringing!
The book comes in PDF format and is available for
instant download. It's also 100% refundable. Grab
your copy today at a special
subscriber's discount.
=========================================================
Tomorrow's installment is:
OFFER VALUE or "How to Show Employers Exactly Why They Should
Hire You! "
Best wishes,
Get
$5 off my e-book "The Complete
Guide to Resume Writing." Instant access - just download
and start reading
Don't want to wait for the rest of the course?
Access each installment directly here: Part
1:"The #1 problem with 95% of resumes and how you can
avoid it"
Part
2: "How to Show Employers Exactly Why They Should
Hire You! "
Part
3: "Boost the response rate to your resume by 50% or more
with a simple shift in focus "
Part
4: "The secret ingredient that the best professional resume
writers use to spice up their clients' resumes "
Part
5: "The simple changes that will ensure your resume gets
a great response every time"
Part
6: "How to evaluate your resume to make sure it's the
absolute best it can be."
Part 7: "How
to use these resume writing techniques to ace your interviews "
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