Motivated Resumes & Linked In Profiles E-Book

Brian E. Howard

• Herausgeber: WriteLife Publishing
• Kategorie: Ratgeber
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2017

Beschreibung

Resumes are the cornerstone to any successful job search, and this resource gives you unprecedented insight and advice from more than a dozen of the most experienced and award-winning resume and LinkedIn profile writers in the industry.

Get inside the minds of these writers to learn how to create impactful materials that get you interviews and job offers. Learn how they think about keywords, titling, branding, accomplishments, format, color, design, and a host of other resume writing and LinkedIn profile considerations.

Become an "insider" and learn the secrets from some of the very best.

Leseprobe

Motivated Resumes & LinkedIn Profiles

© 2017 Brian E. Howard. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, digital, photocopying, or recording, except for the inclusion in a review, without permission in writing from the publisher.

The external links are being provided as a convenience and for informational purposes only; they do not constitute an endorsement or an approval by WriteLife Publishing and the author of any of the products, services or opinions of the corporation or organization or individual. WriteLife Publishing bears no responsibility for the accuracy, legality or content of the external site or for that of subsequent links. Contact the external site for answers to questions regarding its content.

The information and recommendations in this book are presented in good faith and for informational purposes only. Every effort has been made to ensure the materials presented are accurate and current. All information is supplied on the condition that the reader or any other person receiving this information will perform their own due diligence and make their own determination as to its suitability for any purpose prior to the use of this information. The purpose of this material is to educate. The author, Brian E. Howard, and/or any affiliated companies, shall have neither liability nor responsibility to any person or entity with respect to loss or damage caused, or alleged to have been caused, directly or indirectly, by the information contained in this book.

Published in the United States by WriteLife Publishing

(An imprint of Boutique of Quality Books Publishing Company)

www.writelife.com

Printed in the United States of America

978-1-60808-183-7 (p)

978-1-60808-184-4 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2017942563

Book design by Robin Krauss, www.bookformatters.com

Cover design by Ellis Dixon, ellisdixon.com

Editor: Michelle Booth

LinkedIn, the LinkedIn logo, the IN logo and InMail are registered trademarks of LinkedIn Corporation and its affiliates in the United States and/or other countries. Screenshots contained in this book are used for informational and educational purposes.

Other Books by Brian E. Howard

The Motivated Job Search

The Motivated Networker

Over 50 and Motivated!

The Motivated Job Search Workbook

In Appreciation

I would like to express my appreciation to Natalie Keylon for putting this project in motion. Without her initiative and project management skills, this book would likely still be on the drawing board rather than a reality.

I would also like to express my gratitude to each resume writer who donated their work, time, and insight to the creation of this book. The advice and samples you provided will inspire a lot of job seekers and touch their careers and lives for years to come. You have my deepest appreciation.

Message From the Author

Over the course of my career as an executive recruiter I have viewed thousands of resumes. The majority are terrible! They have a poor appearance, are badly formatted, or the content is utterly unpersuasive (the resume “tells” rather than “sells”). A bad resume reflects poorly upon the job seeker and hurts their chances in landing a job. An impactful resume is imperative to a successful job search!

The same can also be said for many LinkedIn profiles. Most are not complete, optimized (so that you can be discoverable by a LinkedIn word search), or compelling. A poor LinkedIn profile also hurts job seekers’ chances of being discovered for career opportunities. It can also leave a less-than-favorable first impression when viewed by a HR recruiter or hiring executive.

This book was written for all career-minded professionals who want to improve the effectiveness of their job search by creating an impactful resume, LinkedIn profile, and other job-search communication and marketing materials. This book contains numerous samples written from some of the most experienced, credentialed, and award-winning resume writers in the industry. Each resume writer was profiled for experience, credentials, and quality of work. They have graciously donated their work for your benefit.

To make this book as instructive and informative for you as possible, each resume writer who participated in this project was provided a questionnaire about a host of resume writing, LinkedIn, and cover letter topics. Their responses formed the basis for “What the Pros Say.” Their insight is invaluable.

Many of the resume writers provided detailed responses that were too lengthy for inclusion in the instructional part of this book. However, they are rich with insight and tips! Check out the Appendix, More of What the Pros Say, at the end of the book for additional information.

Brian E. Howard

Table of Contents

Part I: Some Things to Know about Your Job Search

Branding

Understanding the Employer’s Mindset

Knowing What an Employer Wants in an Open Position

Matching Experience and “Word Clouds”

Transferable Job Skills and Professional Qualities

The Sum Total

Part II: Impactful Resumes

Do Job Seekers Still Need a Resume AND a LinkedIn Profile?

What Is a Resume?

Time Is of the Essence

Your Resume Is Your Marketing Brochure

Use of Keywords

Resume Formats

The Dateless (Ageless) Resume

Parts of a Resume

Accomplishments

Other Credentials

Use of Recommendations on a Resume

Information NOT to be Included on a Resume

Testing the Impact of Your Resume

QR Codes

Dealing with Employment Gaps on a Resume

Infographic Resumes

Part III: LinkedIn

Use of Keywords

Your LinkedIn Profile – Sections

Introducing LinkedIn Optimization

How Does It Work . . . How Does a HR Recruiter Use LinkedIn to Find Candidates?

The Goal of Optimization

Keyword Location

Keyword Stuffing

Completeness

Connections

Compelling

Put It to the Test

Strategies for Your LinkedIn Profile When You Are Unemployed

Which Strategy Would Be Best for You?

The Open Candidates Feature on LinkedIn

Measuring the Effectiveness of Your LinkedIn Profile

What Do You Do with Your LinkedIn Profile after You Get a New Job?

Keep Your Profile Current

Sample of an Optimized LinkedIn Profile

Part IV: Cover Letters and Other Written Communications

Types of Cover Letters

The Cover Letter Success Formula

Cover Letters and Career Transition Job Seekers

Cover Letters and Recruiters

Marketing Emails - Proactively Marketing Your Professional Credentials

Thank-You Letters

Thank-You Letters When You Are Not Selected for the Job

Some Final Words about Written Communications

Part V: Business Cards

Traditional Business Cards

Networking Business Cards

Resume Business Cards

Infographic Business Cards

Part VI: Sample Resumes and Other Great Resources

Appendix: More of “What the Pros Say”

Part I

Some Things to Know about Your Job Search

There isn’t a ruler, a yard stick or a measuring tape in the entire world long enough to compute the strength and capabilities inside you.

— Paul Meyer1

As you begin to think about your resume, LinkedIn profile, cover letters, and other job-search marketing materials, it is important to have a solid grasp of some fundamental elements of your job search and how they will affect the writing and creation of these important materials. This part of the book will help you understand and leverage the power of branding, understanding the employer’s mindset, transferable skills, and professional qualities. Understanding these concepts and weaving them into your resume, a LinkedIn profile, and your other job-search marketing materials will increase their persuasiveness and lead to more interviews and job offers. Let’s start with branding.

Branding

Always remember: a brand is the most valuable piece of real estate in the world; a corner of someone’s mind.

— John Hegarty2

For a job search, your brand is a statement of who you are as a professional. It identifies you and works to differentiate you from other job seekers. It is imperative that you craft a professional brand for use on your resume and LinkedIn profile. A professional brand announces your distinct talents and what you represent to the marketplace. In essence, what do you want to be known for or found for (especially on LinkedIn)?

The process of branding is discovering who you are, what you are, what your unique abilities are, and communicating them through your resume, LinkedIn profile, and other job search marketing materials.

There are numerous benefits of creating an impactful brand, including:

1. You will differentiate yourself from other job seekers, and gain a huge advantage.

2. You create the initial impression the employer has of you.

3. You can convey your value to the employer more quickly.

4. You can match your skills and value proposition to the employer’s needs more easily.

5. You can better determine which opportunities to pursue.3

The drawback of not having a professional brand is simple: You become a commodity. There is no perceived differentiation from other job seekers. You cannot command a premium and you have reduced leverage when it comes to compensation. Perhaps worse, employers will determine for themselves what they want to see in you. They will cast you in a light based on their own conclusions, which may not be the message you want to communicate.4 This situation can be hazardous during a job search. Having a succinct brand immediately directs the hiring executive’s thinking toward what you can do for them.

Perhaps the biggest benefit of creating a professional brand is the self-awareness of your unique skills and experience, and recognition of how they work together to create an impact. You will project the value of your abilities more clearly, resulting in a job that’s a good match for your skill set. Branding can also help you set your sights on what you want your future career to be.

Additionally, when your networking contacts know your brand, they are much more likely to advance it for you through referrals, recommendations, and so on. When the right opportunities come along, you become top of mind (because of your brand).

The professional branding process requires introspection and thoughtful reflection. In some cases, thinking through your branding can be both an emotional and a professionally enlightening event.

Think of it this way: Your goal is to connect with employers both intellectually (you can do the job) and emotionally (you’re a good fit). Having a well-crafted, professional brand helps on both levels. You must be perceived as the right candidate; and through branding, you are better able to align yourself to an open job position.

Keep in mind that the effectiveness of your brand is determined by the connection that exists between what the brand claims and what it can actually deliver. In other words, you must be able to prove and quantify your professional brand (through experience and accomplishments). Failing to do so will have disastrous results. Don’t oversell your brand and capabilities.

Create a succinct brand. Think of it, in analogous terms, as a tagline or a theme that will be the foundation of your job search.

To help determine your brand, ask yourself some questions:

1. What am I good at or an expert in?

2. What have I been recognized for?

3. What is my reputation with others (subordinates, peers, senior management)?

4. What have been my strong points in past job reviews, including notable and consistent comments (if applicable)?

5. What differentiates me from others with the same job?

6. What professional qualities do I have that make me good at my job?

7. What are the professional achievements I am most proud of?5

The answers to these questions and the thoughts they provoke are essential to forming your brand. Now, synthesize the answers and thoughts into single words or short phrases that capture the concept of your responses. A convenient formula that seems to work for many job seekers is this:

[Job function or title] + [A bridge phrase, e.g., “with experience in,” or “specializing in.” Or, use of an action verb e.g., “applying,” “focusing,” etc.] + [reference to products, services, skills, industry, professional qualities, etc.]

For example:

Sales

Award-winning Sales Executive with Experience in Workers’ Compensation, Pain Management, Consistently Exceeding Sales Goals.

Operations Management

Operations executive dedicated to improving operational efficiency through effective leadership.

Account Management

Client-focused account manager focused on client satisfaction and retention.

ERISA6 Lawyer

Experienced Attorney Protecting ERISA fiduciaries from the Department of Labor.

A branding statement could also be a few separate descriptive words or phrases:

Process Improvement • Lean Six Sigma7 • Turnaround Specialist

Marketing • Advertising • Public Relations

Your branding statement or branding keywords must appear with prominence on your resume, LinkedIn profile, and other job search marketing materials. It announces to the market what you want to be known for or found for.

What the Pros Say:

In your opinion, is it important to have a brand (either a branding statement or branding words) on a resume?

I think it’s essential to have a branding statement. To me, it’s your personal selling proposition. It is what will capture the attention of the hiring manager or recruiter in those six to ten seconds they read your resume. Every person is unique, and in order to stand out from others with similar qualifications, you must have your personal brand embedded in the document.

Michelle Robin, NCRW, CPRW

A strong, brief branding statement is crucial for an effective resume: it highlights the job seeker’s unique value proposition, and gives the reader an immediate understanding of who the candidate is and what he/she can accomplish.

Nelly Grinfeld, MBA, NCRW, CEIC

Understanding the Employer’s Mindset

There are a variety of motivations that prompt an employer in the commercial market to hire. However, the true essence underlying each motivation comes down to two reasons: to make or save the company money.8

Your career experience tells you that the sole reason a job exists in a company is to contribute to the profitability of the company.9 The level of your performance in your job must add value. Depending upon the job, you can help an employer’s bottom line by:

1. Making the company money (generating new revenue)—This can be achieved through sales, client retention, product development, and so on. You make money for the company by generating new revenue and keeping the revenue the company has.

2. Saving the company money (productivity improvements)—This is achieved by increasing productivity, increasing or creating operational efficiency, saving time, making others’ jobs easier (more efficient or effective), and so on.

Having these concepts in mind when you write a resume, create a LinkedIn profile, and a cover letter (all of your marketing materials) is very important. When your marketing materials speak to these motivations, you will be getting and holding the hiring executive’s attention.

There are many ways to generate revenue or save money for a company. Revealing them to an employer establishes or increases your value (ROI—Return on Investment) for hiring you. Here is a short list to get you thinking:

• Your duties and responsibilities from previous positions and how they translate to this position’s ROI.

• Implement an improvement that saves time, improves efficiency, and/or streamlines workflow.

• Improve company image and branding.

• Open new sales-distribution channels.

• Improve a current product, or develop a new one.

• Expand business/sales through existing accounts.

• Enhance competitiveness through best practices, innovation, and so on.

• Improve client retention.

• Improve company culture, morale, and/or employee retention.

Whatever value you bring to the table will be directly related to your professional brand, skillset, and value proposition. These must be apparent in all of your job search marketing materials.

What the Pros Say:

What do you have your client think about to give you information to formulate the brand?

Their history of impacts, the things they do differently than their peers, the things they have been applauded for or complimented on. Their influence on sales, profits, efficiency, productivity, and cost-cutting. Their unique experiences, credentials, and pedigree elements.

Cheryl Lynch Simpson, CMRW, ACRW, COPNS

Knowing What an Employer Wants in an Open Position

Since an employer’s purpose when hiring is to make or save money, how can you get inside an employer’s mind and determine what he or she is looking for in the position (or position types) you want? The answer is simple, but you’ll need to do a little research, as follows:

1. Gather Job Postings. Go online and collect some well-written job postings for a job you are qualified for and would enjoy. Websites such as http://www.indeed.com and http://www.simplyhired.com are rich resources.

2. Create Your Own Master Job Description. Call the document your “Master Job Description” (or anything else creative you want, i.e., “My Dream Job”). The purpose of your Master Job Description is to give you a road map inside the thinking of employers so you can better determine what they are looking for in filling a position (or position types).

a. Title. What words do employers use? These titles will likely reflect jobs you target when you search. The key is to use these same words—or very similar—on your resume, business cards, LinkedIn profile, cover letters, in your elevator speech, and so on.

b. Skills, Duties, and Responsibilities. Examine the job postings for skills, duties, and responsibilities that are common or frequently mentioned and note how often they are used.

c. Match. Tie these skills to your experience. The more you use the keywords from the skills and titles in your written and verbal communications (including your resume), the higher your chances are of getting noticed because you make yourself directly relevant to an open job position.10

Once it’s done, familiarize yourself with your Master Job Description. Think about it. What would you look for to fill this position if you were the hiring executive? Think both technical skills and transferable and “soft” skills (more on that in a moment). Congratulations—you are thinking like an employer!

With the understanding of how an employer thinks about an opening, relate or match how you have generated or saved money with former employers, while keeping your Master Job Description in mind. This is a crucial step, because you’ll be tying an executive’s hiring needs to your own experience and accomplishments. As you go along, refer to these insights you’ve discovered as you create your resume, LinkedIn profile, cover letters, emails, and so on.

Matching Experience and “Word Clouds”

There is a very clever way to match your experience with what an employer is looking for in a position(s). “Word clouds” are images made out of large words interspersed with smaller ones (you may have seen them). Some websites that can create them include www.wordle.net, www.tagcrowd.com, and www.worditout.com. Here’s how you use this concept to your advantage:

Take the cursor on your computer and copy the job description electronically, go on one of these sites, and put the copied description into the space provided. Give it a second and “Voila,” you have a word cloud. Pay particular attention to the larger words. Those are the words that are mentioned most frequently or the programming has selected as more important. List those words and make sure they appear in your resume, LinkedIn profile, and other communications. For example, let’s say you see terms like “customer experience,” or “client success” in the word cloud. You read the full description and conclude that these terms mean account management (to you). Therefore, you need to change your terminology on your resume perhaps to match the language employers are using (at least for that employer).

This technique works especially well when you have an actual job description for a position you are pursuing so you can alter your resume to use the terminology of the employer.

Transferable Job Skills and Professional Qualities

Start by doing what’s necessary, then what’s possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible.

— St. Francis of Assisi11

Transferable job skills come in two forms. First are the technical skills (expertise or ability) of your profession. If you are an engineer, you know engineering concepts. An accountant has skills related to accounting, and so on. These are your “hard” skills.

Hard skills can be transferable by convincing an employer that your skills can be easily repurposed and still be valuable to the employer. An oversimplified example is an accountant using math skills in a new role.

The second type of transferable job skills used in most professional level positions is “soft” skills. They are in addition to your technical expertise.

Here is a list of some sought-after, soft transferable job skills (not listed in any order of preference):

• Communication Skills (writing, listening, and speaking)—This is the most frequently mentioned skill employers desire.12

• Analytical Ability (problem solving)—This is your ability to view a situation, identify issues, evaluate relevant information, and implement a plan.

• Time Management (prioritizing)—This is your ability to prioritize and devote the appropriate amount of time to a task.

• Innovation (out-of-the-box thinking)—This involves harnessing creativity, reasoning skill, and what you’ve learned in life to solve problems.

• Collaboration (teamwork)—This means working with others toward a shared goal.13

• Management (people leadership)—This is your ability to gain buy-in or respect from a team, lead by defining goals and methods, and manage and guide a group toward shared goals or production targets.

• Customer Focus (customer service)—This is your understanding that your employer must please and serve customers to be successful.

• Business Understanding (business acumen)—This is your ability to understand the business realities and the influences in the market and how they affect your employer.14

Since these skills are important and sought-after by employers, it is advantageous to mention transferable skills that apply to you on your resume and LinkedIn profile.

What the Pros Say:

What is your resume-writing philosophy about listing or mentioning transferable skills (e.g., communication skills, time management, etc.) on a resume?

I always have a Skills (transferable skills) section listed right after the summary statement. Ideally, the skills should match the skills required for the job being applied for.

Bob Janitz, NCRW

Closely aligned with the concept of transferable job skills are Professional Qualities. These can be viewed as your professional character traits. Here is a non-exclusive list of professional qualities (character traits) sought after by employers:

• Honesty—This is the foundation of every employment relationship. An employer must be able to trust you and respect you as a professional for the employment relationship to last and flourish.15

• Positive Attitude—Make no mistake—this is a big deal. Employers gravitate to people who show enthusiasm, energy, and a positive outlook.16 Displaying a positive attitude will give you a competitive advantage in interviews and is a career management strategy. A positive attitude is that important.

• Interpersonal Relationships—Employers want employees who can get along with other coworkers. They avoid those who “rock the boat” and do not fit the culture.

• Work Ethic—Employers seek employees who put forth their best effort at all times. They seek employees who are motivated and internally driven. They want employees who are persistent and passionate about their jobs.17

• Dependable—Employers seek employees who will show up on time. They want to rest assured you will “be there” for the company. If you are a remote employee, they want to know you are working even though you are out of sight.

• Willingness to Learn—This is your intellectual flexibility, curiosity, and your ability not to get stuck in your own way of thinking. As you well know, markets change. Business changes. Your industry changes. You must be open and pursue opportunities to learn and change.18

• Other transferable skills and professional qualities include: Accountability, accuracy, ambition, assertiveness, autonomy, competitive, consensus building, decision making, enthusiasm, goal oriented, initiative, motivation, organized, presentation skills, quality management/improvement, tactful, working under pressure, among many others.

Just like transferable skills, mentioning professional qualities on your resume, LinkedIn profile, and other communications can be persuasive to a hiring executive. They can differentiate you from other job seekers that fail to include them.

What the Pros Say:

Can you, as a resume writer, create a level of differentiation by mentioning professional qualities on a resume (e.g., work ethic, honesty, etc.)?

Yes. These sorts of details are core to a person’s brand—so if it is central to the client’s sense of self, then I include, but also ground them with some details if possible to help the reader differentiate this candidate from a sea of others.

Virginia Franco, NCRW, CPRW

My style is usually to include three professional traits at the outset of a resume (methodical, tenacious, and pragmatic being a few of my favorites). This allows me to personalize the resume with traits that the client accurately possesses.

Wendi Weiner, JD, NCRW, CPRW, CCTC, CCM

Some job seekers have difficulty identifying transferable skills and professional qualities because they have not had to think about them for a long time. They’ve been doing their jobs not thinking of the skills they’ve been using to succeed. That’s normal. There are a couple of ideas that can help expand upon your transferable skills (and perhaps your professional qualities). Think about your last position or two. What skills did you use? Now, think how you can break down those skills into smaller elements. For example, let’s say you were in sales. What does that skill really entail? What’s really going on there? Plenty!

Research on target industries

Cold calling

Persuasive verbal skills

Presentation skills

Closing

Follow-up

Identifying decision makers

Email marketing

Articulation of value proposition

Overcoming objections

Negotiating

And so much more . . .

By identifying these skills you can open yourself to other opportunities and employers who are searching for job seekers with these skills.

Once you have identified your transferable job skills and professional qualities, there are several things you can do with this valuable information:

• Weave them into your resume and LinkedIn profile.

• Make them a component of your branding message.

• Use them in cover letters and emails.

• Use them to write success stories.

• Use them as a part of your elevator speech.

• Use them in networking conversations.

• Use them in interviews.

The key to using these skills on the resume, LinkedIn profile and other written communications is to convey those skills and your unique professional qualities as valuable and match them to solving an employer’s need. For the most impact, use your accomplishments as evidence of your transferable skills and professional qualities. Provide success stories of the skills and qualities in action. Making this connection is crucial when you are changing career paths.

Transferable skills and professional qualities cut across industry lines. For example, an employer will always value an employee with a strong work ethic whether they are an accountant or a zookeeper.

The Sum Total

Here is the magic formula for becoming a sought-after job seeker:

Your Technical Skills (your ability)

+ Your Transferrable Job Skills/Professional Qualities

+ Your Track Record of Success

Predominately, it is your resume and LinkedIn profile that are the marketing tools used to educate an employer that you are a Qualified Candidate. Once you are a Qualified Candidate, you must then differentiate yourself from other qualified candidates.

1 “Unleashing Your Genius,” Quotes from the Masters, http://finsecurity.com/finsecurity/quotes/qm121.html (accessed February 4, 2017).

2 “10 Ways You’re Building a Fantastic Brand,” Design Aglow (blog), February 3, 2015, http://designaglow.com/blogs/design-aglow/16728432-10-ways-youre-building-a-fantastic-brand (accessed May 28, 2015).

3 Whitcomb, Job Search Magic, p. 122.

4 Ibid.

5 Ibid., Chapter 5, “Communicate Your Value Via a Career Brand.”

6 Employee Retirement Income Security Act; see “Frequently Asked Questions About Retirement Plans and ERISA,” US Department of Labor, http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/faqs/faq_consumer_pension.html (accessed July 8, 2015).

7 A process that resolves problems while reducing costs; see “What is Lean Six Sigma?” Go Lean Six Sigma, https://goleansixsigma.com/what-is-lean-six-sigma/ (accessed July 8, 2015).

8 Whitcomb, Job Search Magic, p. 274.

9 See also, Yate, Knock ’em Dead, p. 17.

10 Ibid., p. 32.

11 “Doing What’s Necessary, What’s Possible, and What Seems to be Impossible,” The Recovery Ranch, http://www.recoveryranch.com/articles/necessary-possible-impossible/ (accessed May 27, 2015).

12 Hansen, Randall S., PhD, and Katharine Hansen, PhD. “What Do Employers Really Want? Top Skills and Values Employers Seek from Job-Seekers,” Quintessential Careers, http://www.quintcareers.com/job_skills_values.html (accessed May 27, 2015).

13 Ibid.

14 Grant Tilus, “Top 10 Human Resources Job Skills Employers Want to See,” (blog), Rasmussen College, July 29, 2013, http://www.rasmussen.edu/degrees/business/blog/human-resources-job-skills-employers-want-to-see/ (accessed July 10, 2015).

15 Hansen and Hansen, “What Do Employers Really Want?”

16 Victoria Andrew, “The Power of a Positive Attitude,” (blog), Kavaliro Employment Agency, May 23, 2013, http://www.kavaliro.com/the-power-of-a-positive-attitude (accessed June 8, 2015).

17 Hansen and Hansen, “What Do Employers Really Want?”

18 Ibid.

Part II

Impactful Resumes

Great works are performed, not by strength, but by perseverance.

—Prince Imlac, character from Samuel Johnson’s Rasselas19

During a job search, having an impactful resume is imperative. It sells your abilities, accomplishments, professional abilities, and establishes the match between you and the open position. Properly written and creatively presented, it will differentiate you from other job seekers and create a positive mental impression of you in the mind of the HR recruiter or hiring executive.

Do Job Seekers Need a Resume AND a LinkedIn Profile?

With the worldwide acceptance of LinkedIn, many job seekers ask whether there is still a need for a traditional resume. Has the LinkedIn profile replaced it? The simple answer is no. You must still have a well-written resume in your job-search arsenal. A LinkedIn profile does not replace your need for a resume.

Some writers have pushed the notion that a LinkedIn profile has made the traditional resume obsolete.20 Nothing could be further from the truth. Understand that each serves separate and distinct roles in a job search.

Purpose of a LinkedIn Profile. Discoverability and Confirmation of Information. Your LinkedIn profile is your ever-present online resume. It is your digital presence and footprint. When complete, optimized, and compelling, its function is to get you noticed and discovered by a hiring executive or recruiter. It also functions to confirm and supplement information about your professional background. However, it has limitations. A LinkedIn profile is a one-size-fits-all template. Although the content differs from person to person, the format remains the same. LinkedIn has features that allow for customization such as attaching media, links, Slideshare presentations, and so on. This can heighten the interest of a hiring executive or HR recruiter, if they should take the time to look at them. This is all good. But, the purpose is to get you noticed and create interest; the resume has a different function.

The Tactical Uses of a Resume. A resume is a completely customizable document. It can, and should be, tailored to specific positions and for particular companies. It allows you to present yourself in a creative way apart from the format limitations of a LinkedIn profile. You can create your resume to showcase your achievements, skills, knowledge, and competencies that appeals to one hiring executive offering one position. When done properly, a customized resume can be used more easily by the hiring executive as a guide for the interview. This is a tactical advantage. Your customized resume plays to your strengths because you designed the format and strategically placed the information to differentiate you from other job seekers. You should feel comfortable about how it represents you.

Resumes Still Required. Most employers, either by direct request of the hiring executive or through the HR department, still require job seekers to submit resumes, via online applications or by email, as a required and accepted business practice. If resumes are passé, why are they still a requirement in the application and interview process? The truth is they are not passé. This is not to say that there could be pockets in some industries that are moving away from using resumes. However, for the majority of industries, and for most positions within those industries, the need for a well-written resume lives on.

What the Pros Say:

Do you still need a resume if you have a LinkedIn profile?

The resume is not dead and never will be. When LinkedIn first became relevant in the job market, employers would receive a resume and then seek to verify and clarify details by going to LinkedIn as part of the vetting process. Things have shifted somewhat. This still happens, but more frequently now we find the employer seeking out candidates using LinkedIn first. So, the employer’s first introduction to the candidate is their LinkedIn profile. If they like what they see they will contact the candidate and ask to see a resume before inviting them for an interview. The order has changed, but both are still highly essential.

Michelle Dumas, NCRW, CPRW

Yes, because the two documents serve different purposes. A LinkedIn profile is a quick overview of your candidacy but doesn’t convey all that you bring to the table. Hence a resume can do a better job of showcasing your career brand and achievements. In addition, there are many details in a resume such as numbers, client names, and the like, which shouldn’t be made public on LinkedIn.

Cheryl Lynch Simpson, CMRW, ACRW, COPNS

What Is a Resume?

Let’s start by defining what a resume is and is not. A resume is a unique form of written communication designed to quickly gain the attention of the hiring executive, inform them about you, sell you as a qualified candidate, and differentiate you from other job seekers. You have complete control of the appearance and content, and you should feel comfortable about how it represents you.

You are not writing an autobiography! Many job seekers put too much historical information into a resume. It’s easy to do. You start writing and remembering and all of a sudden you have a resume that is a blizzard of words. Hiring executives simply will not read resumes like that. It’s too much work. A resume must be informative, but it is really a marketing piece. It must be easy on the eyes and have adequate white space. The job market can be tough enough; don’t create a self-inflicted obstacle by having a poorly formatted and poorly written resume.

Occasionally, job seekers will use personal pronouns (“I”, “we”) in their resumes. Don’t do this. Although there are some differences of opinion by commentators, it is the prevailing view that a resume should not contain personal pronouns. Who else would you be talking about if not yourself?21

When you write your resume, the rules of proper sentence structure and punctuation are relaxed. However, it is essential that you convey complete thoughts with good use of action verbs.

What the Pros Say:

As a resume writer, what is your definition of a resume?

A resume is a sales pitch, a marketing document, part of a strategic multimedia communication plan, and a brand messaging piece rolled into one that defines a person’s unique brand distinguishing it from competitors’ through a strategic combination of visual (format, color and word placement), verbal (keywords and power phrases) and emotional attributes (qualitative soft skills and quantitative successes).

Cheryl Minnick, M.Ed., Ed.D, CCMC, NCRW

A resume is a marketing document that is targeted toward a specific audience and presents enough features and benefits to tell the reader that the candidate is a solution to a hiring problem. It is not an obituary of one’s career!

Norine Dagliano, BA, NCRW, CFRW/CC

Time Is of the Essence

Most hiring executives generally spend between five and twenty seconds when first looking at a resume. So assume yours will not have much time to make an impression. If you’re perceived as valuable to the company, you’re in! If not, you’re out! An employer must be able to quickly determine your potential value.

How can you make the most of those precious seconds? Showcase your most impactful qualifications and accomplishments on the upper half of the first page of your resume. The title of your resume, branding words/phrases/statement, the first sentence of your summary, and the first bullet point or two of your first showcase section create the biggest impact. By then, time’s up! (More on showcase sections in a moment.) If these grab the interest of the employer, you get the next few seconds and perhaps more. This is another reason to use the word cloud technique—keywords and phrases will appear on your resume and “speak” to the hiring executive. Use this technique to capture any buzzwords that employer uses. Titling, branding, and a showcase resume have become important and popular for their ability to keep your resume in the executive’s hands even longer. Once you have created initial interest, then the hiring executive will generally look at your current/previous employer, your position/function, length of employment, and successes.

What the Pros Say:

Studies have repeatedly shown that employers spend between five to twenty seconds when first looking at a resume. As a resume writer, how do you create a resume to capitalize on such a brief period of time?

First, it needs to be visually appealing and easy to read: plenty of white space, font size not too small or too large, font enhancements (bold, caps, color etc.). More to the point, the resume should immediately answer the following questions on every employer’s mind: Who are you? What do you do? What can you do for me?

This is accomplished by formatting the client’s name as the predominate bit of information on the resume, following this with a headline that identifies the client’s occupation/occupational focus, and then a branding statement that states what problems the client is best at solving.

Norine Dagliano, BA, NCRW, CFRW/CC

Putting the most compelling elements that substantiate a person’s qualifications for the targeted job in the top one-third of the resume will help to pass that initial five- to twenty-second first review. Using a headline, short bullets, list of keywords or brief paragraphs will help to keep the eye moving along this section and, because of that content, persuade the reader to read the entire document with the ultimate goal of having the job seeker called for an interview.

Beate Hait, CPRW, NCRW

Your Resume Is Your Marketing Brochure

Your resume is frequently the first formal presentation of your professional credentials to a hiring executive. Think of it as your marketing brochure. It must have an impressive appearance (easy on the eyes), be well formatted (layout of how and where information is presented), and have persuasive content. Take the time to write a resume that appears professional. In order for your resume to provide that positive first impression, make sure that it:

• Has a clean, professional appearance. Develop a document with plain, simple language. Also be sure that the use of font size, bold print, lines, headings, spacing, bullet points, and so on, is consistent throughout. Any graphics and shading must be readable. Your resume must have a “wow” factor.

• Has a title. This will announce the professional qualifications to follow in the body of the resume.

• Has branding words or a branding statement. Either of these will help present your value proposition.

• Contains accurate contact information. Be sure your contact information is up to date.

• Features a concise, professional summary. This should highlight your background and give information to support your professional value proposition.

• Lists core competencies or qualifications. Showcase your strongest skills, abilities, experience, education, and special knowledge.

• Lists achievements. State what separates you from the pack.

• Is written for easy reading. Keep paragraphs short and use subheadings to break apart information.

• Could include charts, graphs, and pictures. To create distinction and visual appeal, use charts and graphs to show your accomplishments. Pictures that align with your industry, if well used, can be unique and draw the attention of the reader. As the saying goes, “a picture is worth a thousand words.”

• Honestly represents your background. It is estimated that “more than 80 percent of resumes contain some stretch of the truth.”22 Be honest with your background and achievements. If an embellishment is discovered, you lose your integrity and credibility, and they will be extremely difficult to regain. Your employer won’t trust you. And if others find out you embellished, that will make it harder still on your reputation.

It is perfectly acceptable, and encouraged, to write a generic form of your resume. You can modify it for specific opportunities that you pursue. Just remember what form of your resume you use with specific employers!

What the Pros Say:

Should a resume be written or revised for each position a job seeker pursues?

If a job seeker hopes to have a fighting chance—100 percent YES! Employers are looking for experts (specialists) and NOT generalists. The more you can make small customizations to your resume to show that you’re the best fit for the company, company culture, the industry, and the position the higher your resume response rate will be from potential employers.

Jessica Hernandez, Certified Social Branding Analyst

Yes, as a gift should be carefully selected, thoughtfully assembled and individually wrapped for each person on your Christmas list. One size does NOT fit all in a world of diversified talent, compartmentalized jobs and ATS [Applicant Tracking Systems].

Cheryl Minnick, M.Ed., Ed.D, CCMC, NCRW

Use of Keywords

Keywords are specific words or phrases that reflect your experiences and abilities, and are frequently buzzwords, or terms-of-art. You are undoubtedly familiar with the keywords of your industry and your abilities. Make sure they appear prominently on your resume. Examples include “P & L” and “ROI” for commerce. Others include “pull-through strategies” for sales and marketing, or are specific to a particular industry (like a professional designation). Your resume must contain certain keywords to get the employer’s attention and communicate that you are qualified for a particular position. The importance of keywords on your resume cannot be overstated.

Keywords can include the following:

• Position title

• Industries

• Professional designation

• Skills, knowledge, core competencies

• Industry terms-of-art (and abbreviations)

• Employer names (past or present)

• Licenses, certifications

• Location (city, state)

• Software and technologies you’re familiar with

• Education (school names and degrees)

It can be impactful to connect a keyword to an accomplishment, whenever possible. For example, Client Retention—maintained a client retention rate of 94 percent for the last four years.

When pursuing a particular opening, use the word cloud technique to capture buzzwords used by that employer.

What the Pros Say:

The use of keywords is important on a resume. What would you consider are the more important kinds of information that lead to keywords?

If you want a resume that will pass resume scanning programs, attract the hiring manager’s attention, and get you interviews, you need to tailor the resume to the specific job you’re seeking. You need to closely read the job posting to find key words and phrases in order to match what the employer is seeking with what you’ve done.

Write your resume to highlight your accomplishments, then weave in some keywords from the job posting while staying honest. State your accomplishments and contributions in order to position yourself to interview effectively.

Nelly Grinfeld, MBA, NCRW, CEIC

Reading job postings and job descriptions will provide a wealth of information on the keywords to include in the resume. O*Net OnLine (www.onetonline.org) offers information on job roles in all industries and is a great tool to research the types of jobs available.

Beate Hait, CPRW, NCRW

Resume Formats

The three fundamental variations of resumes are: Chronological, Functional, and Showcase.

The Chronological format is the most traditionally used resume format. A job seeker’s experience in the work world is listed in reverse chronological order. This format emphasizes duties and responsibilities with accomplishments listed under each employer. Jobs, as well as managerial and other responsibilities, are grouped by title and company, with dates of employment. This is a common format frequently used by tenured professionals with consistent work experience in one field or position type.23

What the Pros Say:

What is your opinion regarding the use of a reverse Chronological resume?

It’s the best plan 99 percent of the time. It’s the easiest to read and the format that most hiring managers and recruiters expect to see.

Amy Adler, MBA, MA, CMRW, CCMC

I always use a chronological format. A client’s most recent job and accomplishments usually carry the most weight to the reader.

Bob Janitz, NCRW