What differentiates you from the next job seeker?
The toughest question I ask my clients to answer is what makes them different from everyone else.
My goal is to examine what differentiates them, what is their value, and how to market that most effectively. As we develop the resume and the collateral pieces, including the cover letter, reference page, LinkedIn profile, and even an executive bio.
How to find out what differentiates you
My collaborative process uses Zoom video technology and screen sharing. We start with the resume because the resume truly is the foundation of the job search.
Quantify and qualify your value
As my clients think through previous experience and accomplishments, I illustrate with detailed resume stories to quantify and qualify what differentiates them. Even when someone is convinced they have no accomplishments or brought no value to their jobs or their companies, I generally capture more than I need to complete the resume. The creative questioning helps job seekers remember what drifted to the back of their memories.
Some clients are genuinely better at this process than others because they gave it some thought before we meet. Even for those with no planning, we capture those stories and create career marketing documents resonating with their personal value.
Five concrete examples of resume accomplishments
- Expanded recruitment by 94% from the prior year through strengthening relationship building, managing recruitment team and chapter, and creating innovative campus events to stimulate interest.
- Championed and led the planning and coordination of a multiple agency (3 helicopter services, Emergency Management, 3 hospitals, schools, multiple ambulance services, and multiple volunteer and career fire departments) mass casualty drill.
- Collaborated with Afghan counterpart, effectively passing on knowledge on to 92 members of the Afghan National Army (ANA). Set the foundation for the vital process to transition the mission to the ANA.
- Empowered and directed nationwide direct-to-company sales force, producing 12% of US annual sales in a $735 million global company.
- In the initial four months, generated 98% REVPAR index with an Average Daily Rate (ADR) of $120, Occupancy of 56%, and achieved 99% Customer Service satisfaction rating.
Five different individuals from five different fields or industries, all have job-winning resumes resonating with clear and unequivocal value.
What differentiates you?
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Julie Walraven
Professional Resume Writer
Here are ways I can help you land your dream job.
You may be halfway across the country or the world. When you work with me, we share coffee, laughs, and concerns. This turns the scary job search into creative, consultative writing and learning sessions.
Yes, this is a very hard question for job seekers to answer! With my clients, I have found that they are so involved with the day-to-day work they do that they don’t realize how unique their contributions are. “I’m just doing my job,” is a very common response I get when I ask about differentiating factors. But the more they talk, the more their specific stories emerge and the value they bring to their work becomes apparent.
Exactly, people don’t seem to understand that accomplishments are not always the shining stars of enormous success but sometimes a contribution that changed the game for them or their company. It might be a new process, expediting shipments, finding ways to get better use of the dollar. Thanks for stopping by, Melissa!