How to Write a Resume for Career Advancement

A common frustration I hear from executive clients is that recruiters and hiring managers they talk to have different expectations for the resume. Lately, I've spoken with a few different recruiters to get their take on what they wanted to see. It does differ with certain client needs, but for the most part, they were very similar. 𝙃𝙚𝙧𝙚'𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙚𝙣𝙨𝙪𝙨 𝙬𝙖𝙨: 𝟭. 𝗧𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 Customize your resume to align with the specific executive role you're applying for. Highlight the most relevant experiences and skills that match the job description. - Key takeaway: RELEVANCY 𝟮. 𝗔𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 Your quantifiable results. Emphasize your achievements with quantifiable results such as revenue growth, cost savings, or market expansion. 💰 - Use metrics and numbers to showcase the impact of your work. - Highlight your leadership roles and the 𝒐𝒖𝒕𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒔 of your strategic decisions, such as successful projects, team leadership, and innovation initiatives. 𝟯. 𝗕𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 Start with a strong executive summary that outlines your professional background, key achievements, and what you bring to the table. This should serve as a snapshot of your career. 📷 𝟰. 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 To make your resume easy to read, use a clean, professional layout with clear headings, bullet points, and ample white space. - Stick to a consistent format and font throughout - Keep your resume concise and focused - Two to three pages is often appropriate, so don't get hung up on page length - Do avoid unnecessary details or outdated information that no longer serves you (high school GPA, I'm talking to you!) Knowing these four basic elements should take some of the guesswork out of wondering what your resume should include. Thoughts? //// 🌺 My name is Erin, and I'm an executive resume writer, LinkedIn profile writer, and career coach. --> 𝗟𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴? FOLLOW ME and/or ring my bell and you'll be notified when my next post hits.  *Comment and share this post!* --> 𝗡𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗲 or 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗱𝗜𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗲?  𝗗𝗠 𝗺𝗲!📨

Recently, someone I know, felt frustrated with his job search. Despite having great experience, his resume wasn’t getting the attention it deserved. We thoroughly reviewed his resume and applied these 5 transformative steps. The result? He started receiving interview invitations within days! I understand that updating your resume can feel overwhelming, but it’s worth the effort. Here’s how you can give your resume a boost and catch the eye of your next employer: → Tailor it to the Job: Adjust your resume for each position you apply for. Highlight the skills and experiences that are most relevant to the job description. → Use Action Verbs: Begin each bullet point with powerful verbs like 'Achieved,' 'Designed,' or 'Enhanced' to clearly convey your contributions. → Quantify Your Achievements: Whenever possible, use numbers to illustrate your impact (e.g., "Increased revenue by 25%"). → Keep it Concise: Aim for clarity and brevity. Your resume should be easy to read, ideally one page unless extensive experience requires more space. → Format for ATS: Make sure your resume is compatible with Applicant Tracking Systems by using a straightforward format and standard fonts. When was the last time you updated your resume? Let’s make sure it stands out!

After reshaping 200+ PM resumes, I’m finally checking my work against the Internet’s wisdom (and the results are surprising)! Here are the top 6 pieces of advice for improving your resume, gathered from multiple sources across the web. This is all great advice! (And aligns with my approach.) But the list leaves out the MOST important tip, which I'll share at the end. (Oh, and point #5 is not totally wrong, but it's misleading and tends to lead to BAD resumes.) 1. Start with a Strong Summary – Your resume should open with a brief, compelling summary that highlights your key skills and qualifications. This helps grab the hiring manager’s attention right away. And entices them to read more. 2. Use Action Verbs – Start each bullet point with strong action verbs like "developed," "led," or "implemented" to make your achievements stand out and show proactivity. 3. Tailor Your Resume to the Job – Customize your resume for each position you apply to by a) making it clear that you *are* the role they are looking for, and b) if necessary adding keywords from the job description into your Skills section. The keywords help pass applicant tracking systems (ATS) and reassure HR recruiters that you're qualified. (Note: The Internet doesn't know this, but the hiring manager doesn't care much about keywords.) 4. Focus on Achievements, Not Responsibilities – Don’t just list what you were responsible for. Instead, emphasize what you accomplished in each role and how it benefited the company. (Good, but not enough - refer to point #7.) 5. Keep It Concise – Stick to one or two pages, focusing on the most relevant experience. Hiring managers typically spend only a few seconds scanning a resume, so brevity is key. --> (#5 is actually wrong. That five second scan is only focused on the first half page. *If* they like what they see, they'll spend a lot more time on your resume.) 6. Use a Clean Format – Stick to professional, easy-to-read fonts like Arial, Calibri, or Georgia. Avoid overly flashy design elements, like multiple columns, that could confuse ATS systems and readers! And no typos - usually instant disqualification! A pretty good set of tips, especially if you take them the right way (e.g., #5). What's missing? Something that relates to #4: 7. Show Your Impact - Achievements are often boring. But put your achievement in the context of a problem worth solving and a meaningful transformation, and suddenly it's not boring. ** Before: Saved the company over $1.2M by renegotiating with suppliers. ** After: Renegotiated supplier contracts, reversing rising supply chain costs and saving $1.2M (10%), while improving supplier relationships, enhancing product quality, and reducing time-to-market. --- Want some "Internet approved" help with your resume? I can make sure you apply all these tips, especially #7. Click the "Make your resume amazing!" link on my LinkedIn profile page to learn more.