Why the process of creating your resume matters

In this day of online applications and changing job search, rumors persist that the resume as we know it is dead or you don’t need one because you apply online.

Stop thinking of the resume as a document or piece of paper!

When you work on your resume, instead of thinking about it as a document you are writing, think about it as a project you are creating.

• You are doing research (often on yourself) to determine what elements you need to project to get to the goal of the job.
• You are starting with narrowing your focus to targeted positions that you really can fill and you really would enjoy.
• You are discovering your talents and accomplishments. For some people this is the hardest part. You need to think hard about what you bring to the table and make sure you are representing this in your resume.
• You are selectively thinking about the keywords that focus on the areas of the work you would really like to do.
• You are making sure you analyze all of the other characteristics you bring to the table along with the accomplishments in your particular field. Did you volunteer and execute the same sort of talent you would use in a job?

Why do I need to write a presentation resume to do this if I am applying online?

In the process of thinking through all of the points above, you learn something about yourself. When I sit down with a new Design Resumes client, we work through all of this. Many job seekers fail because they think they can just plunk random data about where they worked into the application. The application then doesn’t resonate with any value and worse, many people start from scratch with every application, rush through it, and then hit send without even thinking about the message they are trying to send.

Julie Walraven can help you achieve results through using a personalized job search and resume writing  strategy to take the mystery out of the process. To find out how, simply click here!

Photo Credit: Sebastien Wiertz