Improve your 2011 search through attention to placement, prioritization, and formatting
Meet Jeremy...
Jeremy, an engineer, came to us with an existing résumé that was not showcasing the contributions he had made during his 15+-year career. While Jeremy's résumé thoroughly explored his positions, it lacked the focus and prioritization it needed to compete in what had become a saturated industry.
The problem...
Jeremy had followed most of the résumé writing rules, opening his résumé with a profile of his candidacy, presenting his responsibilities and accomplishments, and showcasing related education, however he had done so without very much consideration of positioning, prioritization, and formatting.
The solution...
Jeremy's résumé needed focus, and through our consultation we were able to better understand how he wanted to be seen in the marketplace. With this purpose in mind we explored his background in great detail, being sure to pay special attention to the results of his actions. On Jeremy's original résumé he had presented a lot of information within each employment section, mingling responsibilities and achievements with no differentiation between the two. Through the consultation we were able to understand what was part of his job and what was a result of an action that went beyond the norm. With this new level of insight into the value Jeremy had contributed throughout his career, we were able to fully develop his qualifications summary and professional experience section, introducing selective formatting to ensure readers paid the most attention to Jeremy's accomplishments.
In addition, Jeremy's original résumé placed the education section on page one which was not necessary given he had significant work experience, and as his academic credentials could easily be highlighted within the qualifications summary. Moving this section provided us with much-needed real estate on the top of page one of Jeremy's résumé, ensuring his audience was spending their time learning about Jeremy's differentiating factors.
Lastly, a key focus for Jeremy's résumé was to improve the aesthetic. Engineering résumés tend to be a little more conservative in format, but even with the audience in mind, we were able to create a unique look that better engaged the reader and helped prioritize a wealth of content.
The result...
As with many of our clients, we don't hear the details of their job search success until someone they refer comes to us for assistance and tells us of our client's journey, and this was the case with Jeremy. A few weeks ago Jeremy's wife contacted me to write her résumé-she had since relocated and decided to return to work after being a stay-at-home mom for 10 years-and she was kind enough to write me a note saying, You wrote my husband's résumé in March and he received 11 job offers from April to September. We never thought he would be able to turn down jobs! You and your team did a wonderful job and we are convinced it is the best investment we could have spent during that time of transition. We thank you again.
Recently I had the opportunity to complete Jeremy's wife's résumé who stated on receiving her documents, Thank you for the wonderful résumé and cover letter you completed for me. It's incredible to me that you took an unfocused career and a ten year span of being a stay-at-home mom (although I loved it) and made me actually seem like I was put together and focused on areas other than being a mother and wife. You gave me a new outlook on starting a career and a new mentality on how to present myself.
My team and myself are thrilled to have had the opportunity to work with Jeremy and his wife, helping in some part to get them to the place they wanted to be...happy in work and life. Best to you in this New Year. Samantha
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