Creating a Killer Resume: What's a Killer Resume? One that gets read and generates interviews!

What is a killer resume?  I've included an example to download below.  But first a few thoughts.  A killer resume is a resume that gets you an interview.  Period.  It may not be the flashiest, fanciest, most unusual or best designed resume.  But it has the best content because it concisely, articulately and succinctly demonstrates that you can solve the hiring manager’s problem or add value to the company.  

But how do you know what that problem is or what value they need?  Here is where the proverbial rubber meets the road.  It’s up to you to find this out and then to tailor your resume (at least somewhat) to demonstrate this for each job you apply to.  But what if you can’t find this information out?  What if you are simply answering a blind ad on a job site?  Then you make your best guess.

Securing an interview is the ONLY reason to create a resume.  And the only way to secure the interview is to demonstrate the above.  

And you have 15 seconds tops to do that in.  Huh?  That’s right.  The BEST of resumes are only read for an average of 15 seconds?  That’s what the statistics say.  Now, look at your watch - measure 15 seconds.  Not a lot of time is it?

How can you possibly portray your experience, qualifications, achievements, personality, etc. in 15 seconds?  You can.  And if you want an interview, you must.

To help you, I’ve put together a list of Top 10 Tips.  If you follow these you’re sure to make your ’15 seconds of fame’ count (and you may even get an interview out of it.)  In fact, many of my clients report going from not receiving a call for an interview in months to receiving multiple calls per day once they reformat their resume using these tips.

Go ahead.  I dare you.  You have nothing to lose, and if my clients’ past experience is any indication, everything to gain.

So, in ascending order of importance:

10.) How far is too far?  
The only reason to go back more than 10 years is to demonstrate that you have experience that is beneficial to the job you are applying for, that you have not done in recent times.  Otherwise, there is no need.  Would you really want to do a job you did 10 years ago?

9.) The company does what?
Itʼs very important to let the reader know what your previous employers do, especially if youʼre in a position of responsibility,.  A sentence or two on the size of the company, the companyʼs products and any other relevant information helps the hiring manager
understand your background in more depth.

8.) Donʼt look like a job hopper when youʼre not!
Many candidates list different positions within 1 company as completely separate jobs, repeating the company name, etc.  Interviewers are basically lazy (and you would be too if you had the number of resumes to read that they do at the moment).  At first glance they may not realize that youʼve been promoted every 18 months to 2 years (which is a good thing).  They may interpret your format to mean that youʼve changed jobs every 18 months to 2 years (not such a good thing).  The proper format is to list the company name and details once and make it stand out (larger font, Bold and Underlined, etc).  Then list each position underneath and make it obvious that they are positions within the same company.

7.) How long is too long?
Remember the 15 second rule?  Resumes should be from 1 - 2 pages in the United States and up to 4 (at the most!) pages elsewhere in the world, depending on your level of experience.  Less is more, as long as itʼs impactful.  The only exception to this is a traditional Curriculum Vitae, which would be used in academia or scientific fields.

6.) A picture tells 1,000 words.
Except on resumes.  The rule of thumb here is never including your picture on your resume.  Ever.  Full stop.  Period.  The end.

5.) Ditto
In regards to including your age, marital status, children or pets names (donʼt laugh, Iʼve seen more than 1!) see #6.

4.) Form over substance.
Again, remember the 15 second rule?  Make it easy for the interviewer to read your resume and keep it from the bin. Use lots of white space, put paragraphs into bullet points, donʼt use a lot of different fonts, standardize your presentation and be concise and articulate in your descriptions.  

3.) Once is never enough.
One standard resume is generally not sufficient to apply for every role you look at.  I encourage my candidates to have 2 - 3 resumes highlighting different areas of expertise.  But always, always always customize your resume to the job you are applying for.

2.) Iʼll call you.
Make sure that you have your contact details (name, phone number and email are sufficient these days) in your header or at least on the top of your first page.  Donʼt make the interviewer struggle to figure out how to contact you or they may just say, “next!” Also, make sure that you have voice mail turned on if youʼre actively looking (with an appropriate message).  And nowadays itʼs perfectly appropriate to include your Linkedin Profile in your contact details as well.

1.) Substance over form
The most important thing on your resume is not your duties and responsibilities, not your education, awards or qualifications.  The most important thing on your resume is your achievements.  Your achievements should be specific accomplishments that are a result of your doing your job or (preferably) going above and beyond your job description.  They are
what separates you from others with the same experience.  

Having specific, quantifiable, robust achievements will do more to differentiate your resume from the hundreds of other applying for the same roles than anything else.  Get this right and you will have hiring managers calling you within hours to set up interviews.  

Achievements are:
The end result of a project
A demonstration of your going ‘above and beyond’
An accolade or award
Typically quantifiable

Achievements are NOT:
A process procedure
Part of your job description
Expected as a routine part of your daily work

Bonus: I know I shouldnʼt have to say this but I must, given the number of spelling and grammatical errors I see on resumes.  Spell check!!!  Itʼs easy enough to do with todayʼs software.  Itʼs also a good idea to have at least 3 people look it over, including at least one person that has no idea what you actually do.  Many human resources people do the first screen on roles that they are not that familiar with.  Having someone unfamiliar with what
you do ensures that anyone can follow your resume.

Your resume doesnʼt need to win awards.  What it does need to do is keep the reader engaged long enough to have him or her say, “I need to call this person for an interview.”  

By following these simple steps you will come one step closer to hearing those words you long for, “Youʼre hired!”

Everything you need to create a killer resume is in this overview, along with my "Example Resume with "Do's and Don't's by section". But if you'd like more, I do offer a web based training giving you a step by step tutorial.



Job Search 101

Using robust and multiple job search strategies will make all the difference in how long you look for a new job, especially if you are unemployed.

The third step in the Critical Path to Career Management is “Mastering Your Skills”.  These skills actually fall into 3 different categories; Career Management Skills (what the Critical Path is all about), Job Search Skills (taking control of your job search not not relying exclusively on recruiters) and the 4 Critical, Non Technical skills essential for every business person regardless of function.  

I will talk about the 4 Critical, Non Technical Skills in my next post, but today I’d like to talk about job search skills.

Many people, especially in Australia and New Zealand rely on recruiters to find them a job.  They believe that recruiters will act as their talent agents and simply sit back, letting others control their job search.Using robust and multiple job search strategies will make all the difference in how long you look for a new job, especially if you are unemployed.

This approach is extremely problematic! Why? Think about who actually pays recruiters? The client company. Their service is free to you, the candidate. This distinction is subtle, but very very important. Recruiters are paid to find talent to fill roles. They are not paid to find roles for candidates. The best recruiters do act as a quasi talent agent for the best candidates, certainly. But it’s a little known secret that even the best recruiters can only place 1 in 8 to 1 in 10 candidates. Many roles are filled through the company’s own network before they ever hit a recruiter’s desk.

Job search preparation

So, what other strategies can you use to find a new job? Plenty! But first need to develop a couple of tools.

The most important tool in this process is your “Value Statement”. This is your 30 second elevator pitch that not only helps you remember and articulate the value that you can add to a prospective employer, it changes your mindset from one of, “Please Mr. Employer give me a job” to “You are one of several people I’m talking to in the market place. I’m here to see if there is any synergy between what you are looking for and what I have to offer.” See my previous post on how to develop a Value Statement.

Incredible mind set shift and one that has led to more than one of my previous clients successfully finding work quickly after struggling for months (and in one case years).

The second tool you need is an achievement based resume. Statistics show that the best of resumes are only read for 15 seconds. Don’t take any chances with yours! Download my free resume format. I’ve had many many people tell me that they started getting calls for interviews within hours after submitting their resume using my format, even if they hadn’t been called for months previously. It works.

Job search strategies

So, you’ve got a great value statement and a killer resume. You’re now ready to go out and find your next job. What’s next?

Certainly, work with recruiters. Good ones are worth their weight in gold. But make sure they do never send your resume out without your prior permission.

But in addition to recruiters you need to be prepared to market yourself online, use your own network of contacts and approach companies directly.

Online marketing

I LOVE social media. It’s such a great tool! And you can use it to find your next job. If you’re not on Linkedin sign up today. It’s interviewing while you sleep. There are lots of resources available to help you set up a profile and make sure people find you. Google them. I’ve also got a free PDF with top level bullet points on the Career / Job Search Tools tab above.

But Linkedin isn’t the only online job search tool. Almost every job site has a resume database. Make sure your resume is online. There are also several independent resume databases coming online now. Google them and get listed.

Use Twitter. Here are a couple of really good articles on this:
http://www.loveforbiz.com/using-twitter-for-business-networking-and-even-finding-a-job
http://mashable.com/2009/03/13/twitter-jobs/
http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1903083,00.html

Take the direct approach

Make a target list of companies that you want to work for that have the types of roles that you want to do.

Monitor their websites regularly to look for open jobs and apply immediately.

• Make a list of absolutely everyone you know in your local area.
• Former supervisors
• Former subordinates
• Former Peers
• Former classmates
• Friends
• People from your church, child's school or other community organisations that you are involved in
• Acquaintances

Cross reference the two lists above. Who do you know that can make introductions to people within the companies on your target list? Develop a calling plan and start to contact them.

Call the other people on your list to find out who they might know that they can introduce you to who will help you find a job.

Network, network, network

Where do the hiring managers who hire for your roles hang out? Are there any groups or organisations that they may join? If so attend their meetings. Better yet, get involved in their organisations to develop deeper relationships with people of influence.

Treat finding a job like having a job

If you are unemployed it’s extremely important to have discipline around this area. Go to "work" every day; keep regular office hours, set aside some place in your house just for "work", dress like you're going to the office.

And finally, treat your job search like a project with KPI's; set a goal for a certain number of outbound phone calls, coffee catch ups, roles applied for, etc. Then manage yourself to achieve those goals and reward yourself when you do.

Order business cards with your contact details on one side and the types of jobs you are searching for on the other.

Keep mentally fit

And finally, keep mentally fit. You will project what you feel in an interview so make sure you feel great! One of the most fun and effective tools I use with my clients is to create an “I Rock!” file. A physical file of evidence reminding themselves that they do rock! Cards, notes, letters, or maybe just memories. All kept in once place and frequently referred to. It's actually my "Tool of the Week" this week.

If you follow these steps rigorously I guarantee that you won’t be unemployed for long.