From the course: Resume Makeover

The fundamentals of an impactful resume

From the course: Resume Makeover

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The fundamentals of an impactful resume

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- I'm going to be honest, I've seen some bad resumes over the years. If you're here because you suspect your resume may fall into this category, don't beat yourself up. Most resumes aren't bad because you lack talent or you're not an incredible human being. They're bad because it's hard for people to position themselves on paper in a way that's compelling and relevant to the roles you most want to land. And if you grew up in a family like mine, you were probably taught from an early age not to boast or brag, that being humble is an important trait. And it is, but when it comes time to presenting yourself for a new job or career, you really do need to toot your horn and highlight what makes you special, especially the things that make you a great fit for the jobs you're targeting. So let's start with the four fundamentals of an impactful resume. Number one, an impactful resume reads like a marketing document, not your autobiography. There is nothing that says your resume should be this list of every last thing you've ever done. Instead, think like a marketer. You're working to influence a purchase decision, and in this case, that purchase decision that you're going for is invite you in for an interview. And the easiest way to produce a compelling marketing document is to always focus on sharing not just your duties and responsibilities, but the significance, impact, or outcome of the things that you do or you've done in prior positions. Number two, an impactful resume is strategic. Each resume you submit should be specifically targeted to the role that you're pursuing and clarify to the reader how your skills and experience align with the requirements for that role. It's your job to make that abundantly clear. Number three, it's concise. There's no one single rule as to how long your resume should be, and we're going to talk about that later in the course. But when you're developing or amending your resume, be sure and make those words earn their spot on the page. And number four, an impactful resume tells your career story. This is something that might sound strange to you, but stay with me. Our brains are hardwired to remember stories. We crave a good story, all of us. So if you're handing out a resume that's just this staccato list of job, job, job, job without helping me understand the story behind those career moves, you're actually missing out on an opportunity to connect authentically with the person on the receiving end. These are the fundamentals. Now let's get you moving on a plan for your new resume.

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