How Important is a Resume Strategy?

If you’re wondering how important it is that you have a strategic resume, then let me ask you this: How important is it for you to be employed?  What most job seekers don’t realize is that a resume isn’t simply a list of your past positions. Your resume is a strategic document that positions you for job search success.

We often tell our clients that nothing about the resume development process is arbitrary.  We have a strategy behind everything we do, and no two client strategies are the same.  What are some elements to a resume that require strategy?  Everything!  From the font and header you choose to your personal branding statement, placement of education, number of years you include and the content you incorporate.  Every element of your resume should have a purpose—and that purpose should be tied to your job search goals.  Let me give you a prime example:

If you’re searching for a job and one of the main requirements is that the candidate have an M.B.A., then we’re not going to hide this critical info at the very bottom of your resume.  In fact, we’re going to place it at the top of your resume so the hiring manager notices right away that you meet the qualifications.

A job ad can tell you a lot about what a company needs and you can craft your branding statement and career summary around the needs of the employer.  It’s very easy to address their desired qualifications in the first third of the resume.  You can use this prime real estate to sell them on what great a fit you are, and then use the remainder of your resume for supporting documentation.

Another element of your resume that should be very strategic is the order and placement of your bullet points.  The most relevant and hard-hitting bullets should be at the top, and then gradually, the less relevant and impactful ones toward the bottom.  You want to make sure that every part of your resume is reinforcing the point that you are the exact match the hiring manager seeks.

When a hiring manager reviews your resume he is looking with a list in his mind of all the requirements that need to be met.  If you meet these requirements, chances are you’ll pass to the next level of the evaluation process.  Make sure your resume is strategic in its message—that you are the right fit, right now.