Is your resume boring or wimpy? Ask better questions

Is your resume boring or wimpy?  If you are struggling with getting responses for your resume, your resume may be boring or wimpy. I've written resumes professionally for a long time and many of my clients return for periodically for updates.

Resume boring or wimpy? Or Showcasing your best content?

Resume styles change and I always give update clients redesigned and revitalized formatting, strategies, and styles but more than that, I look over the old content to see if it stands up to the questions I would ask a new client.

Do you feel stuck in coming up with quality content for your resume?

Yesterday I worked with a repeat surgical technology client who originally hired me to write her first resume in 2003,  updates in 2007 and 2009, and another update yesterday. Each time, we evaluated her formatting and content. Initially, she was a little stumped for ways to make her current content different from earlier positions but as I asked more probing questions, she suddenly had much more detail to share and we selected certain items to showcase in a new Selected Accomplishments area. Some of the questions I asked and her answers reformatted in resume-speak

Do you have any leadership roles that position you differently in the department?

•   As American Hospital’s General Surgery Coordinator, interface with general surgeons to determine specific supplies and equipment needed for the department to assure supply availability when needed.

Have you implemented any processes that changed operations at this location?

• Evaluated practices, supplies, and organization of surgical area at the hospital to improve processes and update supplies and equipment to current standards.

Do you do any training, mentoring, or preceptorships for new hires or graduates?

• Serve as preceptor for Surgical Technology students for up to three months, mentoring and coaching the students while providing hands-on experiences with patients to build confidence and skill sets.

Change your questions to match your expertise and career level

This morning's client was a Senior Director of Sales and Business Development in the technology field looking both to update his resume and re-target it to look for college teaching positions. He is quite happily employed but is at a point in his career that he would like to share his expertise with college students. His questions were very different from my surgical technologist but we still transformed his resume with new content, new strategies and new formatting.

Listening to clients is a huge part of what I do. I write in a live writing style with continuous client input throughout the resume writing stage, I use my clients as the source for my information.  I garner more and better information in my collaborative sessions than I might if I simply did a telephone interview and wrote later. My style works best for me but is certainly not the only way to get the best content for your resume.

If you are struggling to write your own resume, think about the questions you are asking yourself. If you are still struggling, remember that an expert can reposition you to garner much more success since this is something we do daily.

To get your career or job search launched with an outstanding resume, creatively written cover letter, cutting-edge LinkedIn Profile and innovative career marketing strategies, simply click here!