Episode seven of Coffee With the Coaches featured Hutchinson Consulting executive recruiters Julie Ambrosini and Karen Butler and special guest, professional resume writer Rachel Raymond. It focused on resume best practices and highlighted the benefits of working with a professional resume writer. If you missed the session, listen here.
Here are some handy takeaways from the session.
Make sure all your information is in the header of your resume, including your name, the city you live in, your phone number, email, LinkedIn profile, and a professional website, if applicable.
Under each of your work history locations, a brief description of the company or a link to that company is appreciated to let the hiring manager know more about your employment history.
Downloaded generic resumes are obvious to hiring managers. Those generic resumes don’t necessarily show through a personality of the potential candidate. If you use a generic resume, include a cover letter for creativity.
Be mindful if your resume is too short or too long which is a common problem. Two or three pages will suffice. Don’t bury important information in too long a resume.
Write a summary section instead of an objective section. This allows the hiring manager to see what you have to offer them as a potential hire. It indicates what you can do for them.
A competency section is not necessary on a resume and is very junior. It is not recommended for executive and C-Suite resumes. A leadership profile is much more appropriate, in which words are more strategic and you can list where you work in keywords.
An objective statement is outdated. Instead, use a summary section that should be the title of the position that you’re applying for and the current role that you are in. Highlight what you can bring to the company and showcase your key achievements. This summary section is the top third or half of the first page of a resume.
Customize your resume to every job you apply for. Have a foundational resume, and then tailor your resume to the individual role. Go through each job description and find keywords and enter them into your tailored resume. Make sure those keywords are easily found and appealing to the eye.
Have a keyword-rich title and keyword-rich summary to maximize the algorithms from hiring databases.
Every candidate absolutely needs a LinkedIn profile now. Recruiters look at LinkedIn profile every single time. It is the first place to look when preparing to present potential candidates.
Your LinkedIn profile should match your resume but not be a cut-and-paste version.
Resumes should not be on your LinkedIn profile because of confidential information they contain like addresses and telephone phone numbers.
When you are on LinkedIn or any other job site, do not ever click the apply now button. Use the site to find a job but use the company website to apply to.
The apply now button is not the way to approach a company. Only your profile is sent to the employer. The apply now button does not allow you to target to company, so it is best to apply directly to someone within the company using your network or by calling.
50% of hiring managers look at a cover letter it’s better to be safe than sorry and include one.
A cover letter gives you an opportunity to acknowledge why you want to work at a potential employer location. You can also add on items like “I can relocate” or “ I prefer to work remotely.”
When applying for executive positions, you should use a recruiter or your network. Do not blind email hiring managers.
To find a good resume writer look at the following associations/resources:
Rachel Raymond, RVP Career Services
Career Directors International
National Resume Writers Association
Professional Association of Resume Writers
The Coffee With the Coaches series will be coming to a close Wednesday, May 27 at 1 pm ET. Register here to join us as certified hatha Yoga instructor Susan Henry leads us through a guided meditation.
