Job seekers often spend a lot of time and effort writing a competent resume, convinced that it should be enough to catch employers’ attention.
Yet despite all that effort, many end up frustrated, getting no response from potential employers. Few views, a handful of invitations, and a stream of rejections.
That’s because a competent resume usually stops at listing duties and general skills, without paying enough attention to the candidate’s specific achievements and abilities.
An example of a “competent resume”
Education:
- Higher education degree in management.
Work experience:
- Sales Manager, “Example Company” LLC (2018-2022). Organizing and delivering product presentations.
- Processing incoming customer requests.
- Maintaining the customer database.
- Office Administrator, “Corporation X” LLC (2015-2018). Keeping the office running.
- Greeting visitors and organizing internal documentation.
Skills:
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office.
- Ability to communicate effectively.
- Experience with business correspondence.
What’s wrong with the “competent resume”?
The example above is a typical competent resume: it contains important information about the candidate, but it doesn’t stand out among countless similar documents.
It doesn’t grab the employer’s attention with unique achievements and abilities, which makes it less effective in a job search.
Show yourself in 6 seconds!
It’s widely accepted that a recruiter or HR professional spends 6 to 10 seconds on average on a first look at a resume.
That makes it essential for a resume to be bright, catchy, short and clear, with the key information standing out, so it grabs the recruiter’s attention in the first seconds.
The goal of a selling resume is not just to list a candidate’s experience and skills, but to create an effective marketing tool that attracts the employer’s attention and sets the candidate apart from many other applicants.
A selling resume works as an advertisement for the candidate’s personal brand, highlighting the unique qualities, achievements and abilities that can bring real value to the company.
A selling resume is one that not only describes the candidate’s experience and qualifications, but also draws the employer’s attention to their achievements, unique skills and ability to deliver benefits to the company.
Creating such a document is, without a doubt, a real art. Here are just a few tips on how to turn your resume into a “selling” one.
Why the “About me” section matters
The “About me” section is a key element of a selling resume, because it gives the employer a first impression of the candidate and motivates them to keep reading. In this section you need to present yourself as a professional with unique qualities and achievements that make you the ideal candidate for the job. Here are a few tips and examples for writing an effective “About me” section:
- Start with a bright, memorable headline that highlights what makes you unique and grabs the employer’s attention.
- Describe your key professional skills and qualities that set you apart. Use specific examples and achievements to back up your competence.
- Give a brief description of your career goal and motivation. Show how your passion and drive will help you succeed in your duties at the new company.
- Avoid excessive self-promotion and empty phrases. Be specific and objective in your descriptions.
Focus on a specific employer and their vacancy
A competent resume often describes the candidate’s experience and skills with no clear link to the requirements of a particular vacancy. A selling resume, by contrast, shows how the candidate’s experience and skills match the company’s needs and goals.
Study the job requirements carefully and adapt your resume to them, highlighting how relevant your experience and skills are.
Facts and achievements
A competent resume usually lists duties at previous jobs, without paying much attention to concrete results and achievements. A selling resume, in contrast, contains information about specific achievements, such as increased sales or successfully launched projects, showing the candidate’s ability to benefit the company.
Don’t be shy about highlighting your successes and achievements in numbers, metrics, money and time. This will help your resume stand out from thousands of similar documents.
Success stories
A selling resume often includes success stories that describe in detail how the candidate reached their goals and overcame difficulties at previous jobs.
Tell success stories using specific examples from your professional experience. This will make your resume livelier and more engaging for the employer.
Using keywords
A selling resume actively uses keywords and phrases tied to the job requirements, mirroring them like the other half of a puzzle. This helps it get past resume screening systems and catch the employer’s attention.
Research the keywords commonly used in job postings in your field and weave them naturally into your resume.
Design
If you work in a creative profession, a selling resume can have a more creative design that sets it apart from other candidates. It might be just a unique font or an unconventional document structure, a video, or even a provocation.
Don’t be afraid to experiment with your resume’s design, but remember that its main purpose is to showcase your professional experience and skills.
Everything should be appropriate.
Interview preparation
A selling resume creates an excellent foundation for conversations in the interview, because it contains concrete examples of the candidate’s successes and achievements.
Be ready to talk in detail about every achievement listed in your resume and how it relates to the job requirements.
A selling resume from a career consultant
Creating a selling resume is an art that takes time, effort and professional skill. If you want to improve your chances of landing a job, turn to a professional career consultant.