Writing a resume is simple and difficult: tell a story
Writing a resume is, as argued before, pretty simple; however, it is made difficult by the need to be persuasive. And to be persuasive, you must tell a story. Telling, or in this case, writing your story is difficult; No doubt about that.
However, this story of how you made a real difference in the jobs you’ve held is pivotal. It’s critical because, by inference, his story leads the reader to imagine that you make the same difference to him.
The clear challenge is in the “how”.
But to get to that answer, indulge me for a moment and let’s talk about a business plan.
A business plan has two objectives. The first is to raise capital or money. And the second goal is to act as an operating model for when you actually start the business. The two objectives do not necessarily fit. But writing 2 separate 100 page business/operational plans is not practical or desirable.
The answer to meeting both goals with one plan is the executive summary.
Once the plan is written with all the research and SWOT analysis, market competitiveness, finances. And the mission statement is formulated and written. You have established all of your operational metrics and benchmarks. When you have everything in front of you, so to speak; then write your executive summary.
This 2-3 page synopsis that precedes the plan is not just a condensed summary of what is in the business plan. The executive summary is where you tell your story of how great the business will be and why joining as an investor would be a great idea. To do this, extract the key points from the business plan and frame them to say what you want. He uses it to precondition the mind of the investor and to guide that person.
Done right, the executive resume reduces the business plan to a reference manual, and to that operating plan you need.
And so it should be with your resume…
Preface the body of your resume with a summary of who you are. You have at most a few seconds to capture the reader’s attention and force him to continue reading. A summary can and should do that.
The concept is simple, and you guessed it, the hard part is writing it.
Again, to borrow from the business plan; you should write your abstract last. After writing the body of your chronological or functional resume; Take a critical look at trends and themes in your work history. If necessary, you should ask a mentor or close friends for another pair of eyes.
Once you’ve determined the trends and themes in your body of work, you can write your first draft of the summary. The first draft can be 7-8 sentences long. Let it sit for a day, then you can re-condense it and distill it in about 5-6 sentences. I think ultimately you want to be able to write a summary that is no longer than 4 sentences.
For example –
Multi-faceted, efficient and reliable administrative professional with more than 10 years of experience supporting executives, sales and managers to improve the internal operations of small businesses. Proficient in all standard office desktop software, CRM applications, and design programs. Diversified skill sets covering administrative support, client relations, writing, human resources and recruiting, account management and project management. Excellent interpersonal, telephone and digital communication skills.
But there is no set format for this; since you can just as easily use bullets, like in this example:
Highly motivated research analyst. Achievements include:
- You completed a major project 50% ahead of schedule.
- He played a key role in the development of a high-value ROI tracking tool.
- Organization of multiple seminars and events for more than 80 attendees.
- Produced campaign proposals for the world-famous, award-winning Library.
- Helped research and deliver a competitive analysis for a $100,000 client.
- Superior Work Ethic: Graduated cum laude while working 35+ hours a week.
Furthermore, a more novel approach, as suggested by Kevin Donlin:
How:
- Find out what customers want;
- Design, development and delivery of units;
- Act as a technical evangelist when necessary.
- Six Sigma methodology.
Examples:
- Created XXX’s first OC3/OC12 FPGA, which worked on multiple SONETEthernet ‘Madonna Metro’ interface products.
- Improved integrity and robustness of XXX’s BMS100-Family product line by 60%, achieved $30 million cost improvement.
The highlight is that you kick off your resume by hitting the reader with your best forward shot. In essence, he’s a “bam, here’s who I am and what I’ve done.” From there, the reader can move on to the body of his resume.
Will this make a difference to a hiring manager? Well, only one call for an interview will answer that. But as a recruiter looks at resumes from a few to a hundred or more for each job opening; you have few options when it comes to differentiating yourself.
An effective summary that tells your story can do just that: set you apart.