The most frequent question the center gets is, “What do you think about my resume?” And at the core, it is not what someone thinks about your resume, but is your resume serving you well in the advancement of your career and/or your strategic job search? A resume is a summary of your work history, skills, and education. A resume should be crafted and edited for each specific position for which you apply and it should be just one or two pages long. Also, your resume really isn’t about you - your resume is about how you can fulfill the needs of the employer.
Your resume should include
- Contact info including your name, city, state, zip code, phone number, professional email, and a personalized URL to your LinkedIn Profile.
- The professional summary headline should be the title of the role, to which you're applying. If you're applying for the position of Customer Service Manager, that should be the headline of your professional summary.
- The skills, competency, or proficiency section needs to align with the knowledge, skills, and abilities for the role you are applying to. If the job posting says they need someone who is 'obsessed with customers', then you need to note you are 'obsessed with customers'. Your resume needs to make it through an Applicant Tracking System into the hands of a person, and you will need to match via keywords with great significance so it's not tossed out automatically upon receipt.
- Professional experience that shares your accomplishments. Don't tell an employer what you did every day (tasks and responsibilities)... tell an employer what you could do for their organization. What impact could you make? Why do they need to meet you, for an interview?
- And we say this often, but you absolutely must tailor your resume to each and every position you apply for. Your resume will travel through an Applicant Tracking System, first. The system will look for keywords, phrases, and specific information identified by the Hiring Manager as important. Once it has survived the electronic cut, it could arrive in the hands of a person. From that moment, you have 8 seconds or the top 1/3 to gain their attention. Work smarter, not harder to catch the eye of a potential employer.
Chronological Resume Template
Additional resume templates can be found in MyCareer.
It's important to note that these resume templates are designed to help your resume survive the Applicant Tracking System (ATS) and get into the hands of the hiring manager.
For more information on the ATS, please refer to the Prep Talk Article here.
Interested in having your resume reviewed, please email 1) a little bit about yourself, 2) what you're looking for, 3) a link to a few sample job descriptions, and 4) your resume to careerdev@franklin.edu