The 1 Thing Stopping Your Resume Dead In Its Tracks

The 1 Thing Stopping Your Resume Dead In Its TracksThe 1 Thing Stopping Your Resume Dead In Its TracksMe What do you see yourself doing in your next role?Candidate So, what I do is I bring broad experience to the table. I am motivated, detail-oriented, and highly professional. Ive been told I am very organized with strong analytical skills, and I work well in a fast-paced environment. So what Im going to come in and do is whatever it takes to just get the job done.Me This is what I heard cue the voice of any adult in the Charlie Brown cartoonsMe This is what I said Great, so when you say, get the job done, tell me what that job is exactly.THEN I may hear something closer to the actual answer. Maybe.I did leid make this conversation up. This exchange is not the exception. It is quite unfortunately the rule. Do you know whats stopping your resume dead in its tracks? Generalization.Let me drop this pro tip on you right here if, quite literally, nearly every other human being can say whats above, then I dont want you to say it. Erase this fluff from your personal lexicon. Right. Now.Following are 3 key areas to look at on your resume, so you can eliminate the generalized language thats taking up valuable resume real estate. Replace this with specific language about you and what you do, in order to increase the likelihood that you get to be the candidate the employer or recruiter decides to callOverhaul Your ObjectiveYou know who you look like when you start off by saying youre a, self-starter with excellent oral and written communication skills, and a proven team player with the ability to work with people at all levels of a corporation?You look like exactly 1,000 of your closest competitors, who are applying for the exact same job you are every day of the week.Instead, present a keyword-rich professional summary at the top of your resume that specifically zeroes in on who you are and what you do. For example, Sales Executive who drives multi-millions in new re venue from Fortune 500 accounts in the oil and gas sector.Ditch Your Duties & ResponsibilitiesWhen your resume says, directs sales operations including planning and forecasting, account management, new customer acquisition, deal pipeline, sales administration, and customer service functions. Develop annual sales plans in support of organizational strategy and objectives Ive fallen asleep. And so has the recruiter.Think of it this way duties and responsibilities describe the job. That concept starkly contrasts with the primary purpose of your resume to illustrate your performance in the job. Please do not lift the job description and plop it down all over your resume. Summarize your scope of responsibility in less-robotic-sounding words, then move on to your accomplishments.Ace Your AchievementsThis is where its easy to make a key mistake you list out duties and responsibilities as if they are accomplishments. For example, Managed short and long-term business strategy to increase sal es and increase the companys presence in the market.No. The achievement here needs to be a quantified number, dollar figure, or percentage indicating the specific sales increase. If you increased market presence, quantify the percentage of share gained. You have such an opportunity to shine in this section of the resume because its where youre showcasing detail about what you were able to deliver.You can gain significantly stronger traction with your resume when it doesnt speak generally about what the job is, but deep dives into specifics about who you are, what you do, and the value you bring. The next step, then, is to translate that same, vibrant message onto LinkedIn. Learn more about how to do that effectively in our free program,5 Secret Job Search Hacks for the Age 50+ Job-Hunter.Youll also see how to do this so the employer or recruiter doesnt automatically ignore you, and you can walk away with the exact keys to making sure your profile is the one the employers and recruit ers will find.