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| Article Listing | Search Articles | More Articles in Resume writing tips | More Articles by Laura Smith-Proulx, CCMC, CPRW, CIC |
Are You Making the #1 Mistake on Your Leadership Resume? |
| by Laura Smith-Proulx, CCMC, CPRW, CIC - 2008-07-31 |
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| "Give your resume style the same attention and focus that you would apply to any business presentation with a professional style that speaks to your status and level of achievement." |
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Leadership professionals often spend significant time adding content to their resumes, showing career progression and detailing their strengths. So why does the average resume get only a minimal response?
Most people don’t realize that when it comes to touting their own skills at an executive level, presentation is EVERYTHING. When you choose that canned Microsoft Word template for your resume, you are laying the foundation for lackluster results.
Now, opening a new document and choosing a built-in template might work fine if you’re sending a quick email message, but it certainly isn’t a good way to sell your key competencies if you’re an aspiring leader ready to take on the world and boost your salary in the process.
When it comes to writing the most critical document of your career, consider the message you are sending with the actual STYLE of your resume, not just the content.
Read on for 3 key points regarding resume presentation that just might enhance your success rate:
1 – Commonality doesn’t distinguish you from others.
There’s nothing wrong with using that Word template… but it’s made for EVERYONE. Can all professionals relate to your level of achievement? I doubt it.
When hiring managers read these resumes, it’s even harder to assess the candidate’s strengths, since the look-alike quality makes it tougher to stand out.
2 – Employers need more detail to make a hiring decision.
This type of template allows for only minimal wording to be used, with very short lines.
While it’s difficult for most professionals to convey their value in longer sentences, it’s close to impossible to give sufficient detail when you try to fit it into the confines of a template.
Hiring authorities want to know as much as possible about your skills in order to decide whether to select your qualifications. It’s best not to miss your opportunity to convey a strong set of credentials!
3 – As an organizational leader, you deserve a stronger presentation.
Most important of all, the template doesn’t convey status or prestige—the very components that drive careers at the upper echelon.
If you wouldn’t show up at a job interview in less than a suit, do you really want to deliver a resume presentation that equates to wearing jeans?
Brad, a seasoned operations manager skilled in guiding large construction firms through periods of multimillion-dollar growth, had been trying to stuff 30+ years of experience into the standard Word template. Not only could he barely fit his achievements into the tight spaces allowed, the grid-like format required a font that didn’t represent his stature.
After a leadership resume strategy session, the fact that he could control costs, hire top-producing teams, and institute practices that made his employer extremely profitable really jumped off his new resume, which was customized to his stature, position, and industry.
Consider that this type of detail is often LOST when you continue to use a template that doesn’t suit your needs.
So, the next time you’re in the midst of a job search, give your resume style the same attention and focus that you would apply to any business presentation with a professional style that speaks to your status and level of achievement.
Resume authority and job search coach Laura Smith-Proulx, CCMC, CPRW, CIC, is the Executive Director of An Expert Resume and Executive Resume Expert, career services firms that cater to organizational leaders. She is a former corporate recruiter who works with executives and managers to present a powerful and compelling leadership brand. |
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