Newsflash: Your dream job is exactly where it belongs... in your dreams.
Whether it be in title, salary, or the company you target; if you aren't taking steps towards actualizing your career dreams, then you're undoubtedly going to settle for less.
If you're serious about your professional growth, then it's time you look at your resume to assure that you're not making these costly branding mistakes.
1.) Object to Objectives. Putting an objective at the top of your resume is the equivalent of rambling on about yourself on a first date. Conversations about your goals can wait until the interview process. In order to get the interview, you'd better be showcasing what you can do for them, rather than what you hope they can do for you. Doing so increases the likelihood of that second date.
2.) Be Clear. So often people try to put too much information in their resumes. Unfortunately, you're competing with countless other hopefuls trying to capture the attention of a hiring manager, so make sure you're only highlighting what matters most.
3.) Be Different. The days of standard black & white resumes are best left for the Mad Men era. With so many accessible templates and programs to liven up your resume, be sure that yours has some personality in its theme to be aesthetically unique.
4.) Don't Bite The Bullet. While there are advantages to having bulleted skills and accomplishments on your resume, don't be the person who's entire document is outlined in that format. If you pride yourself on communication skills, then there are just as many benefits to articulating action statements and eloquent sentences.
5.) Be Specific, But Not Personal. Details are great in resumes! Be sure to highlight the number of people you supervised, the percentage of growth you were responsible for, or the volume of projects you managed. Being specific gives quantifiable support to you value. Do not on the other hand get personal. Believe it or not, people still make the mistake of highlighting personal interests, experiences and hobbies on their resumes. Save that stuff for Match.com not LinkedIn.
At Stitch & Pen, resume writing is a major part of our branding services. Having experience in corporate recruiting and marketing, we recognize that the individual brand is as important as the corporate brand. Visit our site for information on resume writing for professionals in all industries and at all career levels, and make your dream job a reality.
