Joining me in this tip video is Marie Plett of AspirationsResume.com, winner of 14 TORI awards and 2 ROAR awards in just the past three years.
Yesterday… today… tomorrow… employers receive far more resumes than they can (or will) review.
All those black and white resumes have desensitized them.
While your resume must get through the ATS systems before it can reach those employers, as Marie Plett says, “when they receive it, your resume needs to jolt their nervous system”.
There is a reason we don’t all wear gray clothes and drive gray cars…
Color can represent status.
It can be exciting.
It can be energizing.
It definitely grabs attention.
When we combine color with dynamic design, powerful writing and story-telling, we have a resume that BREAKS THROUGH the barriers and can build excitement.
Because resumes truly represent a form of Marketing!
Do we have to do creative resumes all the time? No
Do they give our clients an edge? Yes
Will it help you win a TORI and build a more successful business almost overnight? Yes
Of course, powerful writing and story telling are the pillars of great resumes, but it’s time to take it to the next level!
In this 9-min video we share:
- Truly out-of-the-box (and off of the paper) creative resume ideas.
- Tips on understanding color matching to profession.
- Why creative resumes have ROI (and how you need only one employer to love it).
- How to have an out-of-the-box resume and still satisfy ATS.
- Where to get design ideas for your resumes.
Watch the video now:
2019 TORI Awards
All this in time for resume writers to enter the 2019 TORI Award resume writing competition!
There are 10 categories, 50 chances to be nominated, and 30 chances to win (1st, 2nd, 3rd place).
Time is ticking away, so don’t let the 2019 TORI competition pass you by!
CDI’s Expert Resume Writing Resources
Remember, when you become a CDI member you gain instant access to 100s of tools, resources, scripts, and more to help you refine your skills, enhance your visibility, and build a 6-figure-plus business without the stress. This includes video master classes from top TORI winners, which include:
- Resume Formatting Magic Tricks & Charts in MS Word with Marie Plett
- Elevate Your Resume Formatting from Blah to Brilliant (using MS Word) with Cheryl Lynch Simpson
- Mind Control via Emotional Resonance with Donald Burns
- Visual Branding in MS Word with Cheryl Lynch Simpson
- Intake Process with Tiffany Hardy
- Story Telling & Branding with Kim Robb Baker
- Headlines & Branding Statements with Laura Smith-Proulx
- Step-by-Step Creative Logos with Marie Plett
Members access these tools for free now >>
Not yet a member? Learn more now & access our annual special + monthly option >>
Hey Laura and Marie,
I got the impression from this video that you can have the best of both worlds, beating ATS while using creativity and color on resumes. I’m wondering which formatting choices will or won’t hinder an ATS. For example, do tables always get simply disregarded without messing up an ATS or are there certain techniques that are necessary to avoid instant disqualification? Same for pictures, icons, shapes, etc. Is the best move still to include an ASCII file anyway?
Thanks for considering my question. I’m extremely curious about this topic.
Hi Alec! Just to be on the safe side, it’s best to not put content in charts, tables, or boxes that you need to be read for ATS. So, text boxes work great for things like testimonials from former bosses. Graphs and charts grab the eye but if it’s part of a story that needs telling for ATS, be sure to write it out as well. Yes, they and other graphics/images will just be invisible otherwise. If you feel it is necessary to have design that impacts core ATS content readability, then I am still a fan for having a plain white resume along with the fancy one. It does not have to be ugly ASCII to work. It can be an attractive MS Word-design! But these days, you can usually attain a happy-medium.
Wonderful. Thanks for the reply, Laura.