Unlock the door to career possibilities! Start with pre-work to discover your Career Focus (job function/level, industry, and job sector) and your Personal Brand. Then begin building a compelling branded resume.
Your Key Content
Plan the content in each section of your resume to reflect your job target and your personal brand:
1. Headline & Tagline: Provide readers of your resume with a clear understanding of your job target. Do not make them muddle through your entire resume without a clue as to what kind of job you are seeking. To be most effective, start with a specific headline (e.g., Social Media Manager – Hospitality Industry). Follow that with a concise, value-packed tagline that is consistent with your brand attributes and strengths (e.g., Social Media Connector with Customer-Driven Focus and Room-Filling Results).
2. Summary: What is most relevant to your job target in your education, training, experience, internships, volunteering, civic/leadership roles, and accomplishments? Include the best in your summary. Always start with something that will excite interest, perhaps because it represents value to the employer and/or shows you are a unique candidate via your personal brand.
3. Social Media: In this new digital world, employers need to know that you are social media savvy. Overall, that translates into a robust, full-fledged LinkedIn Profile (at the very least). LinkedIn has emerged as a leading site for employers and recruiters to search for job candidates. Note: if your job duties entail social media interaction, you will want to be active on the key social media sites for the job and industry. Include these social media links with your contact information for quick visibility.
4. Education / Training: Convey that you are a top-quality applicant by highlighting your education, training, certifications, and /or licenses that are most relevant to the job target. Up-to-date knowledge that is spot-on for your job target will be in demand. Likewise, any unique training experiences or certifications that are geared to the job target will separate you from the bulk of other job-seekers in this field. Marketing this exclusivity of your credentials can quickly gain employers’ interest.
5. Experience: What work experiences (full-time/part-time jobs, internships, volunteering, etc.) will best showcase your skills, strengths, and accomplishments related to the job target. Remember, a resume is not simply a career compendium or history; it is marketing copy to influence hiring managers and secure an interview. Select content that is not only pertinent and full of impact, but also demonstrates HOW you get results because of WHO you are and WHAT you do (your personal brand).
The Bottom Line Creating a powerful branded resume begins with knowledge of your Career Focus and Personal Brand. Then evaluate each section (and line) of your resume to ensure it is aligned with both your job target and your personal brand. Do not run the risk of being perceived as wasting an employer’s time with extraneous, bland content. The time you spend compiling a stunningly effective resume will prepare you to deliver stunningly effective job interviews!
Great strategies! Awesome post!