I’m often contacted by multi-talented clients asking for a general resume they can use for various jobs.
I get it.
Choosing where you’ll be happiest is challenging if you can fulfill many roles.
Plus, by casting the largest net, you’ll catch the most opportunities, won’t you?
FACT: No, you won’t. It doesn’t work that way.
Any marketing professional will tell you this: you sell a brand by knowing your audience and speaking directly to them.
Your personal brand is no different. When it comes to resumes, nobody else in the world matters besides the person who will decide whether to give you an interview.
Write your resume as a love letter to them: specific, descriptive, and all about why you’re “the one.”
Almost everyone wants resumes that incorporate keywords.
The internet and social media have left people terrified by applicant tracking systems (ATS) by portraying them as fast-moving sewers flushing out all but the most keyword-aligned resumes.
Sites offering free resume ATS scans abound, generating horrifying scores that tell you that you will FAIL unless you purchase their services to fix your keywords immediately.
FACT: ATS are glorified filing cabinets. Companies use hundreds of different ATS offering different levels of sophistication. You’ll make yourself crazy trying to play to every single one’s requirements.
TIP: Write a simple Word document with strong facts (“Achieved X by doing Y in Z situation”) and minimal tables to apply with confidence.
Graphs and charts are ok if you want some flair, but they will most likely not be read by the system, so you need to repeat key data in your text.
Never include a photo in the USA.
Include the following sections: header, title, summary, key skills, experience, and education. (Check out this post for further guidance on the nuances of a great resume.)
Yes, keywords are important and should be included. However, there’s something more essential you should consider first.
What I don’t often hear from clients is, “Can you write me a resume that demonstrates my ability to solve problems and pain points in (a specific role)?”
FACT: This is the question you should be asking. If you don’t know which jobs you want to apply for and where you want to work, you’re not yet at the “write the resume” step.
Instead, research roles, industries, and companies, identifying your top 1-3 job titles and 10-15 companies.
Explore the pain points experienced by hiring managers for these roles and consider how you can solve them.
What unique qualities do you possess that can set you apart from other candidates?
Keywords for robots should take a backseat to genuine connection with humans.
By first answering these essential questions, you’ll better connect with the reader. It’s easy to incorporate keywords from there.
Write as many root resumes as you need for these roles, highlighting your distinct problem-solving magic.
Generate a list of keywords used in the job descriptions you’ve searched and integrate them into your bullets and other sections.
Tweak the root resumes to align with job descriptions each time you apply.
When writing your resume, think Aretha Franklin: “What you want, baby, I’ve got it!”
That’s the straightest path to a recruiter’s heart.
Need help figuring out what to talk about in your resume?
I’m here for you. https://kyladuffy.com
