You want a job.  You know you need a resume but you think “how do I write a resume”, maybe you google it and then are lost in a sea of conflicting information!  Should you do a super formatted “fun” resume that you see all over Pinterest?  Or a super pared down resume to get past those resume bots known as Applicant Tracking Systems.  I’ve already answered some of those questions but in short, you should have one resume that will get noticed by an ATS but also one that is aesthetically pleasing because after all a human will eventually read it.
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But what information do you actually need in a resume?!  

I’ve got you covered.  I have a list of what you must have in your resume and what you might have in your resume that will ensure that it leads to interviews, and lots of them!

Must Haves Resume Components

1. Contact Information
I know that this seems obvious but you would be surprised!  Make sure that your email is professional, that you list your cell phone number.  Otherwise some optional pieces of information would be to include your LinkedIn profile link and your address, you could just put the city you live in and leave it at that.

2. Objective/Profile
There are some differing opinions on this.  However for me it is mandatory.  Not everyone will read it (like me for instance) but there will be a lot of people that do.  It sets a nice tone for the resume and I like how it looks in terms of the format.

The key to an objective statement is that it is 1-3 sentences long and gives a brief overview of who you are and what you bring to the table (think of it like a micro-elevator pitch).

3. Skills Summary
The skills summary is all about those resume bots.  Applicant Tracking Systems are very keyword focused and the skills summary is a great way to increase your chance of making it to the ATS’ list of recommended candidates.

Just don’t make it too long please!  Have 6-12 skills and focus on matching the words to the words of the job posting.

4. Education
You want to start with the most relevant education first so that is what gets noticed.

Are you a New Grad? Then feel free to include further details like course names, GPA scores, scholarships and awards.  If you are not a New Grad then please do not include this information, your experience is what matters not the courses you took.

Further training, like courses, certifications and memberships could all be included under the Education section.

5. Experience
This is probably the most obvious section of your resume!  The key is to follow the Reverse Chronological with your most recent job at the top. 
What gets confusing for individuals is how to format this section and how to explain different working situations.  Also, there are tricks you can do to highlight certain details that you want the reader to be drawn to.  Ask yourself, what do you want the recruiter to notice first – the job title or the company name?  Whatever your choice is put that on the first line, and maybe add some colour!  Here is how it could look:

Company Name                                                                                      September 2015 to present  Job Title (part-time/contract)
 
Notice how I used months.  As a recruiter I hated it when people didn’t use months, at least for the last 5 years.  Why?  It doesn’t tell a complete picture.  Let me outline why.  Say I see the dates 2017-2018.  I don’t know if someone worked there for two months (Dec 2017-Jan 2018), one year (March 2017-March 2018) or almost two years (Jan 2017-Dec 2018).  I’m less likely to call someone for an interview when these sort of questions are raised.

Now to the content, the hardest part of the experience section.  There are two things to focus on: your examples of how you made a difference and your accomplishments that will benefit your potential employer.  Think of what you did that you were proud of (in terms of tasks, responsibilities and accomplishments) what skills, knowledge and experience did you use?

Most experts’ state to use an accomplishment based resume and while I fully agree, I also know that nothing about the job search process is black and white.  There are many jobs that are very tasked based where you could be doing a disservice by ignoring that in your resume.

Optional Components

The next five components of a resume are completely optional but what I mean by that is for each of them there is a time and a place when they should be included (and when not to).

1. Volunteer
While volunteering is one of those things that are good to do that doesn’t mean that you need to include it on your resume.

So my first caveat is that if you volunteer and you have some room to fill out on your resume (say it is 1.5 pages) then by all means include it.  If the Volunteer section means you will be going on to the next page and it doesn’t add any significant value then don’t include it.

What do I mean by significant value though? 
Industry: There are certain industries that value volunteer work (education, arts and culture, not for profit, healthcare) and for those industries I would highly recommend including it. 
Volunteer Relevance: If you are applying for a role that requires a skill set that you only used while volunteering then include it. 
Career Story: Most entry level, new grads and individuals with a career break lean on volunteer experience to round out their time working, skill set and experience and in those cases you should always have a volunteer section.

I did want to note that Internships and Volunteer are not the same thing, even though both are unpaid work.  An internship belongs in your experience section, just note it as such using the brackets (internship).

2. Memberships/Professional Associations
This section is only added when you are a member of a professional association common in industries like Supply Chain, Finance, Human Resources, Engineering, etc. 

For streamlining purposes I do find that including them in your Education section is most effective.

3. Languages
List all languages spoken fluently, can included conversational as well if relevant for the job. Can also list in the Skills Summary to save space.

4. Technical Skills 
This section is typically used in replace of the Skills Summary for individuals in the IT space. 

5. Interests
In 98% of cases I recommend not including interests, even for New Grads.  However there are times when it does add value.  For example, if you are applying for a job in the arts and you are dedicated to that community include it.  If you happen to know who the hiring manager is and their interests then definitely list any shared ones!  But this is another section that should not put you onto another page, if it does then please leave it out!

Take the must haves, sprinkle in the optional components that make sense for you and your job search and you will end up with a winning resume that will lead to interviews.

I also have a handy checklist that you can download for free that will help guide you while writing it. Sign up here to get it!

I’m curious, what optional sections have you included that really added value to your resume?

For most of us selling ourselves doesn’t come naturally.  I know I always feel really awkward and weird.  It is really hard.  It doesn’t help that I’m a female Canadian – two identifying factors that encourage, actually DEMAND humility.  But a long time ago I learned that I can be proud of what I have to offer and still be humble.  Okay, who is kidding who here, this is something I continue to work on.  Though, I did learn how vital it is to my success to use the following four reminders to help me sell myself effectively. 

These four reminders work, they get me in the right mindset and act as prompts to encourage me to focus on what I bring to the table and how to get my message across without sounding like a used car salesman or getting all socially awkward!

1. You are the product.

When I’m interviewing new coaching clients and candidates I hear a lot of “buts”,  I noticed a problem and I came up with a solution BUT I was really lucky to have noticed it. 

I also hear a lot of “we”.  We managed or we implemented or we were involved.

When you are dealing with ANYONE that has the future of your career in your hands forget about the normal you – the person who maybe was really lucky to have stumbled across the perfect solution – and focus on the SUPERYOU, the incredibly observant, innovative and intelligent person who came across the perfect solution.

Think about advertisers.  Do they tell us how delicious that Big Mac is BUT that it can cause weight gain?  Nope! Or those battery commercials, do they say all batteries are the best? No way, they say THEY are the best. 

So what are the best things about you?  Get any objections out of your head.  And own those things, don’t share them with anyone else!

2. You are different.

If you are looking for a job you have a lot of competition since each job posting sees about 250 resumes.  If you are hoping for a promotion, look around you – there is your competition.
Chances are most of that competition are qualified to do the job, they have nice and friendly personalities and have a good work ethic.  And most of those people probably try to sell themselves by focusing on 1 of those 3 things.  That gets pretty boring, pretty quick!

You need to stand out.  How are you the unicorn, what is your superpower that differentiates you from the masses?  Figure that out and lead with that.  Make sure it is highlighted in your LinkedIn, your cover letter, your resume and elevator speech.  At work, showcase that power every chance you get (where it makes sense) and smoothly make sure the decision makers know about it.

3. You have potential.

Studies show that you are more likely to get hired or get the promotion/raise if you have the potential for greatness.  The crazy thing is if you take a candidate who has potential versus someone with actual experience, it is the former one that stands a better chance of getting hired! 

The thinking is that those who have potential makes the decision maker spend more time thinking about them which leads to an unconscious favourable view as long as there is evidence backing up the potential.

How do you make this work for you?  Especially if you do offer a ton of great experience.  It is all in the spin.  Tell the decision makers about your future and how what you have accomplished in the past will benefit and translate to a great things to come for you and therefore them. 

4. You are persistent. 

I don’t think it comes as a surprise but I love all forms of networking (events, informational interviews) and to me networking is key to a successful career.

As a recruiter, I get asked a lot – “do you know anyone who could be a fit for…”? Well let me tell you something – recency bias is for real.   It is usually the people I’ve spoken with in the past month or so that I recommend.  That is not to say you need to send weekly update emails to people in your network, you want to be persistent not annoying.

If you want to be considered for new opportunities than I would recommend connecting with the key people in your network about once every 3-6 months – just a quick email is good and don’t worry if they don’t email back!  Also be active where they are active.  If they tend to be on LinkedIn or Twitter, engage them by liking and commenting on their posts.  If they attend regular association events, show up too – an in person meeting is more memorable anyway.  On Social Media, I recommend sharing relevant articles, updating your status or writing new articles.  Keeping your name on their radar will go a long way.

If you want to be considered for any upcoming promotions, make sure management and HR are aware and remind them during any performance reviews or conversations.  Ask about job shadowing and training opportunities and ensure they know once you have completed those activities.  When you have had a win find a natural way to bring it up to them.

 
I don’t know about you but a lot of the above can seem at first to be very icky.  I certainly don’t want to have to schmooze my way into a new job or promotion, it just doesn’t come naturally to me.  In fact, I hate those people who seem to spend more time schmoozing and scheming than working.  But you know what is worse than not getting the job or promotion?  Is when THOSE people do!  And they do, all the time, I’ve seen it happen time and time again.  And trust me the goal of this article is not for you to become one of those people. 

I want you to be AMAZING at what you do but also learn to be AMAZING at selling yourself so that it is YOU, someone who so deserves it who gets the job or promotion! 

And obviously if this whole marketing yourself seems too much, that is what I’m here for!  Reach out and let me know how I can help.

And even if the hiring manager doesn’t read it, just having one shows that you are willing to go above and beyond for this job so even for those industries where the likelihood of it being read is slim, I still recommend sending one in.  It doesn’t hurt to spend an extra 10-15 minutes on a job you really want does it?

Most cover letters that I have read throughout my 15 years of experience are boring and monotonous that is essentially a sentence based regurgitation of the candidate’s resume.  I don’t learn anything new about the individual.

When I write cover letters for my clients I have two main focuses: get their personality in it and summarize who they are and what they bring.  Today I am going to share with you the ideal format of the cover letter with the secrets of how to get a hiring manager really excited to meet with you.
 
First Paragraph:
To start, the cover letter should be addressed to someone!  Look at the posting, is there any instruction or a name included?  If so, use that.  If not, we want to address it to the Hiring Manager – do some digging and LinkedIn research to try and find out who that is!  It also wouldn’t hurt to engage with them some way.

This paragraph’s focus is on Who You Are and Why You Are Applying.  It is your hook, we want the reader (the hiring manager) to be intrigued with you and looking forward to reading more.  This should be tailored to their needs as outlined in the job posting but you can lean on work you have already done in your Modern Resume and your LinkedIn profile by examining your resume objective, your LinkedIn Headline and Summary which all comes from your personal brand as developed through my free email course, the Job Search Roadmap.

Some things that this paragraph must include are:

• Open Position Title
• Company Name
• Where you found the posting (especially if noted)
• Three Reasons why you have what it takes to excel based on your experience, skills and knowledge/education.

Second Paragraph:
The focus on this paragraph is Why this Job and Company and How you would benefit.  This is a great place to compliment the company, ideally the hiring manager if you can.  Talk about their reputation, what they have done right, some recent wins or future projects.  Show that you have done your work and that this isn’t just some throw away job application for you. 

Then move into what you bring to the table, how you would benefit the company, team and hiring manager in this role.  There are a few things you can include in this section.  You can talk about your story, or your call to action to this career and job.  I always include a summary of how a client can benefit instead of specifics.  This is done by taking a look at your accomplishments and seeing a common thread or pattern.  For example, do you have a history of analyzing data, noticing areas for improvement and coming up with new processes that makes a team more efficient or productive?  If so, write that!

This paragraph could/should include are:

• Why are you applying, what about this company, team, job excites you?
• Optional – what is your story? 
• Summarize how you can benefit the organization by looking at patterns of how you have had a positive impact throughout your career.

Third Paragraph
Then move into some specific examples of accomplishments and results that you want to highlight.  Ideally these will provide examples to the benefits you listed above.  This can be formatted in a three different ways (I use all three depending on who my client is and what they are applying for). 

1. Paragraph Format
2. Table Format (comparing the job requirements to your skill set).
3. Bullet Points

My typical go to is the Bullet Points, what I like about it is that if someone is going to skim over your cover letter they will probably read your opening sentence and your bullet points and the closing sentence so by having the accomplishments that you are most proud of and of great relevance to the hiring manager highlighted then they will definitely pick those up.

I recommend three accomplishments with an added Education bullet point if the job, company and/or industry value education, training and certifications. 

I lean on the table format for roles that are heavily skilled based – IT, Engineering, etc.  Roles that require a lot of technology.  Especially since hiring managers in these industries don’t typically read cover letters and if they do then chances are they are skimming it, so having a table making it clear that you are a perfect fit in terms of your technical skill set is key.

I use the paragraph format sparingly.  I do love to use it when writing is a key part of a job since the cover letter is a great place to showcase your writing ability.  It also works for roles where you may not have accomplishments that can be backed up by hard data.

Third Paragraph summary:

• Pick the right format for the job and for you.
• Choose three accomplishments to highlight if Paragraph or Bullet Point Format
• Focus on hard skills for Table Format.
• Highlight education if relevant.

 
Closing Paragraph
This is your lasting impression, keep it short and sweet with about two sentences.  Open with the three reasons why they need you on their team.  Close with a call to action – meeting with them, interviewing for the job, discussing your fit – be confident! Then sign off with your name.
Must haves for the closing paragraph:

• Three reasons why you are perfect.
• Call To Action

You may have noticed a theme above, my continual use of THREE.  This comes from research that shows that grouping things in three resonates more with readers.  An easy psychological trick you can do to make sure you get noticed!

Showcase You!
The last thing I want you to do is go through your cover letter – is it conversational and does it showcase your personality?  Pick word choices and sentence structure that gets a little bit of you in there.  We want the Hiring Manager to finish reading this knowing three things

1. You can do the job
2. You can bring value to the team
3. You would be a great fit with the team.

 
So now you have the knowledge of how to write a great cover letter, well you need a great resume to go with it don’t you?  Download my resume checklist to help guide you writing one and if you need more register for The Ultimate Resume Workshop to learn all the ins and outs to writing a resume that gets you noticed!