I met Don Bauder (aka “Mr. Resume”) at an employment networking event last month. When someone gets introduced as “Mr. Resume” I’m thinking he better be good (mildly cynical). Don’s presentation earned him the title. I found myself taking notes and wanted to share a few nuggets of his extensive resume wisdom with you.
If you haven’t updated your resume in a few years...everything has changed. Here are four of Mr. Resume’s secrets in creating a winning resume that leads to an interview.
Secret #1: Skip the career objective at the top of the page. Bauder explained, “Objectives focus on what YOU (the job seeker) wants to do. In this competitive environment you have to stand out and create value for the employer.” He says what you want to do is to explain in this resume what you bring to the table. You have to set yourself apart by communicating your BRAND.
Secret #2: Tell a story. In the past we did a chronological data dump. With bullet points define your brand so your career makes sense to the reader. Examples of your results show what a job seeker can accomplish. According to Bauder, sometimes our experience doesn’t seem consistent for the job we are applying for and it is our job in the resume to tie it together for the reader.
Secret #3: Understand keywords: Computers screen today’s resumes, not people. The computer searches for keywords. Bauder explains that job-seekers have to do their homework and look for potential keywords in the job posting. If the person has that experience, put it in the resume. This is also the point he tells job seekers to never lie on their resume. “It is the worse thing you can do,” says Bauder.
Secret #4: Customize every resume you send out. Bauder explained that each resume has to position your brand a little differently depending on what the employer is looking for. The keywords are going to be different for each posting. He cautions if you use the same resume for your job search, you will be eliminated early in the search.
You can reach Mr. Resume via e-mail at: don_bauder@hotmail.com
Here are other links to blog posts with information related to resumes:
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