Does your Resume Make you Stand Out?

Does your resume make you stand out?  Is it the resume that is going to make the Hiring Manager say, “I want to learn more about this person!”

I tell my clients the same thing over and over about resumes.  Target the resume to the job advertisement.  Make sure you are highlighting those areas that are listed in the job advertisement that demonstrate you are qualified for the job.  But, remember, you’re not the only candidate that will be doing that.  So you need to go one step further.

Because you’ve done your homework and have researched the company, you know other little things about them that may not necessarily be in the job advertisement.  The company may say such things as:

• We are an innovative, forward thinking organization;
• We value family and work life balance;
• We promote training and employee development;
• Our mission is to provide extremely high quality customer service.

Each of these statements say something about the organization.  And you can tap into these areas by reflecting how you are in line with these statements.  Make sure you include something in your resume or cover letter that shows that you are innovative, or that you always ensure that you provide a very high level of customer service, or that you are continually taking steps to develop yourself.  This is one of the best ways to demonstrate that you are a good fit for the organization.  When you add these statements, make sure you validate them with concrete examples.  Simply making the statement isn’t enough.

If you’re not sure how to go about looking past the job advertisement, don’t be afraid to seek the help of an experienced recruiter or a Certified Professional Coach.  A little extra time at the beginning of the process may be the difference between getting an interview or being passed over for someone else.

Do you know someone who is faced with this challenge? Feel free to share this post by using the share links at the top of this page. Also, if you’d like more resume and cover letter tips, feel free to check out the resume resource page.