They should know what you do, right?

Photo by Alex Bellink

A frequent comment from clients — “Why do I have to detail what I do for these positions? don’t they know what I do?”

Fortunately, my clients ultimately trust me and view me as the authority on all things resumes and job search. But if I let them win on that point, the chances of them getting interviews would be slim to none.

I can remember early in my career as a resume writer when a Registered Nurse looked at me and said, “Just put down Charge Nurse, everyone knows what they do.” Yikes! And so why should they hire you then?… you are just like everyone else.

But you aren’t like everyone else! My job as a professional resume writer is to differentiate you and make you look different from the other “My profession” people who are just like you.

What makes you different?

What value do you bring the organization? What unique knowledge base do you have that makes you valuable to them?

• What tools, equipment, or software do you use and HOW do you use it?
• What have you succeeded at that makes you different?
• Did you learn new procedures that allowed the clinic to attract different patients through offering a new service?
• Did you lower costs?
• Create a new policy or procedure?
• Reorganize the filing system or a whole department?
• Did you cut labor costs?
• Improve labor retention?
• Create a time-saving process that increased production?
• Did you break sales records?
• Did you intervene and save a customer from leaving the organization?
• Did you create a new design that opened a whole new line of business for the company?
• Did you build relationships with vendors so that you are the first one called when they find a product to add to your line-up?

Please don’t tell me they know what you do! They don’t!