How to fix a boring resume and turn it into success stories
Q: I have used the same resume throughout my career. I update it with new information and employers. I always keep the same resume handy in case I need something quick to send if someone requests it. But lately, I have noticed that it looks bland. What suggestions could you offer to help me make my resume more appealing?
A: When thinking about your resume, it helps to see it as a marketing sheet that needs to generate attention within a few seconds. A boring resume starts with listing your job duties and responsibilities without using accomplishments that tell a story.
Keeping your resume on standby is a good habit in case you need to send it quickly, but as your career changes, so should your summary and background. Resumes are marketing tools, and effective writing requires more thought than just updating the same format.
For example, as your career progresses, so will your titles and the scope of your responsibilities. Viewing your resume only as a record for documenting employment dates and job duties is a mistake. Keep in mind that your work history helps build your resume but take it a step further and think about the strategy you want to use in showcasing your career experience.
Instead of using the same resume to build on, consider looking at your resume as a picture you want to paint for others to see. You want to emphasize your top skills, interests, and qualifications.
The truth is that most people dislike writing their resumes for various reasons. One is that they are unsure of the type of information to include that will capture an employer’s attention.
Many times, the job candidate that gets invited to an interview is the one who markets their background the best by using relevant information. If your resume begins to look the same over time, it is a sign that you must either include more information or delete some.
If an employer has to study your resume to understand your skills and abilities, you have probably lost them in the first few seconds. Count to six seconds. That will give you an idea of the time an employer will spend looking at the first page of your resume. The time it takes to screen you out for a specific job is surprisingly fast, but it could be faster when your resume looks boring.
A hiring manager once described his process of looking through resumes after they were screened initially by recruiters. He would spend a few seconds looking at the first half of a resume. He would put the resume aside if he did not clearly understand how their background matched the job description. He knew what he was looking for in a candidate, and their resume had to show him they had the skills to produce the results he needed.
However, you can change your resume into an effective marketing tool by adding results to your accomplishments. Think of your resume as a giant billboard with a few seconds to capture attention. Engage hiring decision-makers by highlighting your contributions using quantifying or qualifying results.
Focus on writing your career accomplishments with powerful words. Carefully choose each accomplishment on purpose and with meaning.
To prevent being screened out from applicant tracking software, use keywords throughout your resume to ensure your content genuinely mirrors the job description.