With unemployment at a historic high, it’s now more
critical than ever to distinguish yourself and your candidacy!

Your resume and cover letter . . . “front line” tools for your career transition and job search arsenal.  You get one chance, reportedly only 10 to 60 seconds, to make a good impression on the reader, to get past the screening software searching for key words . . . to differentiate yourself from the hundreds of other resumes/cover letters received that same hour or day.  Take a moment to seriously think about this. 

• What level of success are you experiencing with your current resume?


• What is it costing you in lost career opportunities, employer interest, and valuable time?

What Do Employers Want?

If your resume is just a history of your work life in chronological order, chock full of responsibilities, the likelihood that it will be read diminishes greatly.  Employers are not interested in an outline of your work history (that’s why many candidates fail when answering the “tell me about yourself” question).  Instead, they want to hear the kind of work you do/have done that will enable you to be successful in the role.  How you will make an impactful contribution at their company.

Employers expect specific, measureable examples of your accomplishments clearly outlined on your resume - with stories to back these up in an interview.  These must be relevant to the job opening with an emphasis on performance that made a difference.  To provide an added dimension of distinction to your candidacy, incorporate your brand and authentic self into the interview process.

What Does Your Resume Convey?

Does your resume convey what employers want to see  in a powerful and compelling way?  If it doesn’t, it’s an obstacle to your success and most likely to a better career/role.  How do you know if this is the case?  Consider the following questions about your current resume:

• Are you getting responses when sending it out?


• Does it showcase your accomplishments with performance metrics?

Example:  Drove 40% accelerated revenue growth over 16-month period.
Example:  Recognized as a “Top 10 U.S. Performer” out of 530 account executives in first year of tenure.

• Do you have a professional branding statement on page 1?

Example:  #1-Ranked Revenue Producer Driving Sales Growth & Client Retention to New Heights

• Do you have an introductory section (not an objective statement) that communicates who you are and your value to an employer—while enticing someone to continue reading?

Example: Seasoned client manager and sales professional with 15-year demonstrated record of B2B, Enterprise Segment, and SMB Market penetration and account profitability. Consistent, rapid achievement of triple-digit monthly and annual quotas outperforming peers . . . .

• Is it visually appealing with a professional look?


• Do you have a cover letter that succinctly communicates the relevant selling points of your candidacy – what value you offer an employer (not one that just reiterates what your resume already says)?

If you’ve answered “no” to more than one question above, don’t waste another minute. Click below to schedule a free resume critique today with a knowledgeable, certified writer.

Remember . . . the purpose of a resume and cover letter are NOT to get you the job— it’s to help you get the interview.

The value of our process doesn’t end however with the completion of these marketing tools.  By incorporating coaching in our resume writing process (Phase III-B), our clients go into the marketplace better prepared and equipped — with a compelling resume/cover letter AND relevant work stories to share with potential employers.  This helps to increase client confidence levels and in turn their probability for success when interviewing and/or networking!