What is the most important thing in your resume or what it should demonstrate? “VALUE”.
Having written more than 100 resumes for job seekers, I am aware that they have only a short time & space to showcase their value to the reader/prospective employer.
While writing a resume for a job seeker, my goal is to ascertain & distinguish value proposition & pencil it in file/resume document. While doing so, I ask some earmarked questions from my clients & conduct brainstorming sessions. This helps me in evaluating & recognising value, supporting it with credentials/claims & showcasing the same in the resume.
Defining value
Although everyone knows their job & work well, when it comes to skill sets & unique strengths, a lot of them are not aware of the same and/or not able to articulate/communicate it properly. This becomes more important when you are looking to make a shift in Industry/role. My initial discussion with my clients revolve around the following basic questions:
- How are you different from other applicants having similar experience?
- What are the key characteristics that best describes you when you are at work?
- What measurable benefits will employer derive from you?
- What are you best known for?
- What are your transferable skills & how they can help prospective employer generate value for the organisation as a whole?
From these questions, I can have a clear idea of unique strengths & key skills of my clients which forms the basis of value which my client can carry along. It becomes easy to ascertain how these set of competencies can be a potential fit for employer. Based on these questions, I can form a branding statement for my client.
Supporting the value proposition with claims/credentials
Saying that you are good at something & proving proof to substantiate your claim are two different things. To help open up pandora box of achievements, I ask my clients to dive into their past achievements & answer the following questions:
- How did you helped your company increase revenue, profitability, or return on investment?
- Did you generated new business, signed up in new clients, improved operating efficiency/productivity &/or or forged profitable partnerships?
- Did you save your company money or increase your company’s competitive edge?
- How do you coach, motivate and develop a winning team and develop loyalty in your staff?
Besides these questions, I also ask my clients questions like how often or how much ( in %, $ figures etc) which showcases the depth of achievements.
Job seekers can also include additional list of skills & competencies that may not be directly related to the potential role they are applying for but surely gives an indication on the diverse expertise, passion & interests.
For instance, if a jobseeker, who is a fitness enthusiast & have helped people achieve their fitness goals, is wanting to transit to health & wellness sector, his fitness initiative can certainly create a strategic value.
Value of resume increase if it specifically addresses the pain points of role & organisation. Align your value with the organisation requirements & demonstrate your achievement through measurable benefits & claims.
