Resume writing course - part 3
Over the last few days I've shown you the importance of understanding
employers' needs and outlining your unique value proposition.
I hope you're starting to see how rewriting your
resume can dramatically improve your success rate.
Now I'm going to teach you the secret weapon every
good resume writer uses to set his/her clients apart: putting the focus on achievements rather than responsibilities.
Show me how you'll add value and give me proof!
This is more important than ever with so many peoplecompeting
for the same jobs. You MUST show why the employer
should ignore all those other people and call you!
As I covered in part 2, your value proposition
is the summary of why employers should hire you.
Let's use mine as an example:
" I use my prior experience as a Human Resources executive,
my knowledge of marketing and my writing skills to
help people get the job of their dreams."
That sums up what makes me valuable but now I need
to prove that what I am saying is true.
One of the ways to do that is to outline my achievements.
People make many mistakes with their resumes, but
one of the most common is that they place the emphasis
on the wrong things.
The absolute key element for a powerful resume
is evidence that you will live up to your value proposition
- in
other words, proof that you will add value.
It's important to remember that your resume will
be reviewed by managers and executives who are
as concerned with avoiding a mistake as they are with making the
best choice.
A bad hire can cost them time or money or both and
they can ill afford that when revenues are down.
So when they look at your resume they're looking for
evidence that you won't be a mistake.
Yet most resumes give them very little reassurance.
That's because most resumes focus on job responsibilities
rather than on achievements.
Bear with me. If you do it right, this change will send your resume
response rate soaring!
Let's take a moment to look at the difference:
A job responsibility describes something you were
tasked with and expected to do – an achievement describes
the impact you have made.
Every parent knows the difference between a responsibility
and an achievement. A teenager is responsible for
tidying his bedroom, but whether he does it or
not is a whole different matter.
Describing responsibilities only tells the reader what you were
supposed to do – it doesn’t tell them what you did do.
You must therefore place the emphasis on achievements throughout
your resume.
What do I mean by this?
I mean that you need to PROVE to employers that what you say in
your value proposition is true by giving specific examples of times
you have demonstrated those qualities and made a difference to an
employer.
Provide readers with a brief job description for each position,
but then make the bulk of your resume about the impact you made
on past employers.
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NEED HELP?
If you're feeling unsure about any of this, check out my
book. I went to great lengths to make sure I covered every
step in detail because I know how hard it can be to
write a resume.
In the book, I walk you through detailed formulas and examples
of how you can create action-packed bullet points
that make employers want to meet you.
This one change will transform your job search because employers love action-packed resumes. And when you
combine action-oriented bullet points with an employer-focused
value proposition, you immediately set yourself apart.
The book normally sells for $26.99 but as a subscriber, you can
purchase it for $19.99 so grab your copy
now. It comes in
PDF format, so you can have your copy within seconds
of ordering.
=======================================================
Writing in a compelling way about the impact you
have made in prior positions will dramatically increase
your resume response rate.
This is true whether you are an entry-level employee
or the CEO of a Fortune 500 company - no one hires
a new employee without expecting a pay-off of some
kind.
Your job is to show why YOU are the one who can make
a real difference.
This is so important that I'm saying it again!
No one cares about your job responsibilities because
they offer NO evidence that can make an impact.
Instead of responsibilities, you must focus on one
thing: Show me what impact you had in your prior
positions and I can start to imagine the impact you
will have on my business and my company.
That's it for today.
Tomorrow's installment is:
EXPLAIN THE CONTEXT or "The secret ingredient
that the best professional resume writers use to
spice up their clients' resumes."
This one change is the difference between a good
resume and a great one!
Have a great day,
Find
out more about "The Complete
Guide to Resume Writing" and even start reading for
free!
Here are quick links to the entire course:
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 ensure 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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