Spring Clean Your Career: The Resume

Finally, spring is here. You’ve swapped out your winter clothes, tackled a major closet overhaul and scrubbed the tub cleaner than its been in a while. But don’t put down those cleaning supplies just yet! This is the perfect time to spring clean your career and our four part series will go over how to do exactly that. From your resume to your professional network we’ve got you covered. You’ve got that spring back in your step, now let’s not lose it on the way to work!

According to a study conducted by TheLadders.com, Recruiters spend about 6 seconds reviewing your resume before deciding whether it goes into the yes or no pile. Your ultimate goal is to get that resume into the yes pile. When following the advice in the video below, always keep the specific job you’re applying for in mind. Your resume shouldn't be static. It should be tweaked depending on the particular position of interest. You may wear many hats and have many talents, but you’ll want to be able highlight those most relevant to the job opening.

Keep it current:

Even if you’re not actively looking for a new opportunity, you never know when something unexpected might come up. There’s nothing worse than being asked for your resume and not being able to produce an updated version in a timely manner. In this job economy, it’s a good idea to always be prepared. By keeping your resume up-to-date with promotions, certifications and awards, you won’t have to backtrack later on. You’ll also be able to record your successes while they’re fresh in your mind and you’ll be confident you’re not forgetting anything important.

Rework your professional summary:

Your professional summary is an area that recruiters spend time reading. This space gives you a lot of control over how you want to position yourself. It’s ok to brag and start this section off with phrases such as “Exceptional marketing executive” or “Award winning creative producer” or “Unparalleled sales executive who continuously exceeds quota expectations.” After all, this section should reflect your strengths and the areas you want to continue to grow in, not just describe your title in more detail. This is also a great place to add keywords that are relevant to your role. Including keywords that are featured in a job description will help ensure that your resume gets through any automated filtering software and into the hands of a hiring manager.

Revise your bullets:

Rather than staring your bullet points with “Responsible for…” use active verbs to really show what you’re capable of achieving. Words like, initiated, created and managed give a clearer picture of your strengths and showcase your experience in a results-oriented framework. You can also show you’re capable of delivering results by highlighting quantifiable successes whenever possible. For example, increased revenue by 50%, generated 30% of all new client activity, decreased expenses by 20%. Challenge yourself to never use "responsible for" on your resume again!

Less is more:

Remember the study I mentioned earlier... recruiters may only initially spend about 6 seconds on your resume. Your resume should be your calling card. It should only give enough information to generate interest and get you in the door, not tell your whole story. Try to limit yourself to 4 or 5 bullets under each job title so that you don’t go over 1 page in length. Certainly there are some exceptions but this is a good rule of thumb!