How to write a resume using a radically better approach

You want to know how to write a resume so you Google. Sadly, you will get a ton of really bad advice. Why? The topic of how to write a resume is one that even reporters will key in on especially in months like January when people tend to want to start something new.

Some savvy reporters know that there are career experts to ask and they put out a request to the top minds in the career field. The reporter should then get quality advice. However, many people will hone in on the topic and provide you with fake news. Strategies that worked in 1950, 1980, or maybe even 2010 don’t work in 2020.

Check out my FAQ page for more questions you may have about how to write a resume or Design Resumes.

How to write a resume that wins your next job

Content is king. When you are getting ready to write your next resume, think about the target first.

Ignore all the fake news such as one-page resumes, no color, or ATS-friendly only.

Learn how to write a resume like a professional resume writer or hire one to do it for you. Learning how will save you money but most professional resume writers write upwards of 100+ resumes annually and the top resume writers work on their craft to continually stay cutting edge. Expertise is worth paying for to shorten your job search and make sure you hit your target.

I received this email – Finally Landed – a few days ago:

This past Friday I received a verbal offer from ABC Corporation for a Senior Process Governance Specialist in their Corporate Systems Division and accepted the position this morning.

It only took 364 days, lots of perseverance and of course help from great people like you!

What he doesn’t say is that he waited to hire me until October 16. Think how much shorter his job search might have been with a quality resume showcasing his value. He actually had good content, it just needed help being visible and since all of the Design Resume packages have LinkedIn included, he had the advantage of my strategic advice and writing to help him gain visibility in his field.

Always have a target for your resume

No resume should be one-size-fits-all. If you are targeting executive roles, use this target for ones that fit the CEO roles:

Chief Executive Officer

But change it if you are looking for a COO (Chief Operating Officer) or something else in the C-Suite that fits your background.

State your value

Write a resume that hones in on the target, captures your unique value, and showcases your success stories early in the resume.

Like this:

• Operational Transformation – Designed and implemented innovative operational systems for Ralph Lauren’s 20K square foot offsite warehouse processing 2.4M units annually, the key to maximizing efficiency while ensuring on-time delivery of the product to the Flagship stores.

Or this:

• FINANCIAL ANALYSIS – Pioneered use of Six Sigma methodologies for conducting historic analysis of commodity positions. Designed regression model of the market, allowing Risk Management to take commodity positions at the most opportune time, saving $25M annually in 2019.

or this:

• M&A Integration – Chaired JP Morgan Chase’s 55-member global cross-organizational merger team in the migration, development, and deployment of customer sales, CRM, and service management functionality.

Continue to add value to the descriptions of your roles

• Created a global network of local Subject Matter Experts to address issues and reduced centralized support workload by more than 75%.

or this:

• Created a comprehensive plan to redesign messaging environment with detailed architecture for current and future state, project plan, presentation to the executive team, and timeline.

How to write a resume and deploy game-changing strategies to find the decision-maker

Once your new resume is chock full of robust resume stories, don’t fool around with an ATS-only strategy. While applying online sometimes yields success, if you put all your eggs in that ATS online application basket, you are doomed to failure.

Accessing the hidden job market is a huge missed market for most job seekers. But understanding that most people are hired because they went the extra mile will get you more interviews and job offers than hitting point and click all day.

Even when applying online, submit your presentation-style resume with full color and graphics to the system. Many systems store your resume in Word or PDF as a reference for the hiring managers. Use an ATS-friendly version to cut and paste into the application fields and always check your application thoroughly before hitting the submit button.

If all of this baffles you, hire me to guide your career journey. I understand the pitfalls of job search and have guided thousands of people to successful job landings. Learn more.