Value of a Customized Resume

With the national unemployment rate painfully high, the competition for jobs is fierce. Millions of Americans are looking for work, employers and hiring managers are flooded with hundreds of resumes, many of which are not considered relevant to the position. But there are still jobs to be had and someone is going to get them.

With a resume that highlights your talents and showcases your career achievements, you could have a uniquely competitive position in the marketplace.

Customize your resume for the position that you are seeking... Being in contact with recruiters and hiring managers, we have learned that they're swamped with irrelevant resumes. Simply customizing your resume will put you miles ahead of the crowd.

Every resume you send out needs to be targeted to the job you want. Focus your resume on your qualifications, achievements, skills and experience that specifically match the job's requirements. And leave out unrelated work experience. Some people restate the job's requirements in their summary of qualifications or objective. While it's good to nail all the essentials, vary the wording and add your own touch. Mirror the job description without just copying it.

Distinguish yourself by selling what you have to offer... What can you do to distinguish yourself from your competition? You can distinguish yourself from the hundreds of other applicants by highlighting what make you unique... If you are in sale, a simple statement of Experienced Sales Profession/ consistently exceeds sales quotas to build market share. Think about what sets you apart from the crowd. How are you better? What do you offer that others don't? Identify your unique brand and use your resume to sell it.

Highlight your value...

Job applicants need to show they can meet the increased needs of a company that might be struggling with its own bottom line. Employers are looking for people who can create business, bring in customers, boost revenues, open new markets, improve quality and help them thrive (or at least survive).

Quantify the business you think you can bring a company. Again, if you are a sales professional who is looking to work in the same territory in the same field that you were last in, let the hiring manger know that you have contacts and the ability to network that territory based on your last position... As we all know, networking in today's world is the key to success.

Let hiring managers know that you offer more than anyone else....

Employers are expecting more for less money right now. Some employers are rolling two or three jobs into one. It's a buyer's market. Using the example of the sales professional once again, let the hiring manager know that you are willing and able to perform more than just maintaining key clients... In the sales industry, territories are being increase to cut down on the number of employees out in the field, make sure that you customize your resume and your interviewing skills to reflect that you can handle an increase in territory...Go to interview prepared with a plan of attack to cover the entire area. Be willing to do cold calling if necessary to build the business. And remember, if you get the position, follow through on what you promise.

Getting the position is not the end... it is only the beginning...

Connie Gregory
cgregory@resumesnow.org
Senior Writer
Resumesnow.org
Resume Writing Services