Questions Your Resume Should Answer

In these days of heightened competition in the marketplace, you must differentiate yourself from the competition.  Make yourself stand out.  Marketing yourself is the greatest challenge you will ever face. Imagine this thought - we work all through our adult lives developing our careers.  Then we spend just a few hours writing our resumes.  So resume development begins with thinking and some time.  Put yourself in the Hiring Manager's shoes.  Think about what he/she is looking for. 

Your resume must quickly tell the reader who you are and what you want.  This is the "Objective" section.  You say you can "make a difference?"  Then tell the reader the "how" and "what" of that difference.  Vague and general statements are confusing, cause you to blend in with all the other candidates and do not get you an interview.  Be sure that your resume tells the reader:

• How much business value have you generated? How quickly did you develop it?  What was the context of the value?
• What was the business challenge? What were you up against?  What problems did you solve?
• What is the next business challenge?  Be sure this is forward looking.  Do not use disjointed bullet points and expect the reader to "connect the dots". Tell your story.

The reader should be able to easily understand the central theme of your candidacy and to distinguish you from all the other candidates.

When writing your resume you should start with an in-depth self-analysis.  Understand what about you is marketable.  Be objective and do not let your ego get in the way!

Articulate your niche and the specific area you are interested in.

If there are negatives, address them!  Make sunshine out of rain!  Lemonade out of lemons! Don't be afraid of the negatives.  Tell your story - show you handled adversity.  Hiring Managers are savvy people who hire savvy people.  Show your challenges, your action and your results. 

A candidate with his/her act together will show their strengths and qualifications on the resume, which is the look backwards. The cover letter shows how well he/she fits the job and the company. It is the look forward - the "I will do this for you too!"  And the Personal Presence will shine in the interview.

And remember, one size does not fit all.  You should customize your resume for each position you apply for. 

So take your candidacy to the next level!