As we continue our recap of the Mastering Your Next Move workshop, it’s time to dive into the session led by Michelle Long on creating a resume that makes an impact. In today’s competitive job market, having a resume that clearly demonstrates your value is crucial.
What is Your Impact?
Your resume is more than just a list of roles and responsibilities. It’s your chance to tell potential employers, “Here’s how I can help you.” Michelle reminded participants that every hiring manager is looking for someone who can:
- Make a profit
- Save money or improve quality/efficiency
- Drive growth or lead change
- Solve challenging problems
When crafting your resume, focus on these elements and be sure to highlight your value, impact, and results. Whether you’ve spearheaded initiatives, improved processes, or led teams through change, it’s essential to show how your work has made a difference.
Time is Short: Make it Count
Michelle also shared some eye-opening stats that put into perspective just how little time you have to capture attention:
- LinkedIn Profile: 12 seconds
- Resume: 6 seconds
Yes, that’s right. You have mere seconds to make a connection between your experience and how you can help solve a company’s problems. This means your resume needs to be clear, concise, and results-focused from the start.
Resume No-Nos
To maximize your impact, Michelle also highlighted some key resume mistakes to avoid:
- Spanning more than 2 pages
- Including your street address
- Using a picture of yourself
- Relying on tables for space and formatting
- Incorporating graphics
- Listing graduation dates
- Lacking a LinkedIn profile link
- Using an email address that doesn’t match your name
- Detailing more than 15 years of work history
- Featuring an executive summary
Keeping your resume clean, modern, and focused on your most relevant experience is essential for making that strong first impression. Remember, hiring managers are skimming to find candidates who stand out—don’t let unnecessary details distract from your strengths.
Elevate Your Resume with Elevate for Women
Your resume is often your first opportunity to show your value to potential employers, so make it count! At Elevate for Women, we offer resume review and coaching services to help you refine your resume and stand out in your job search. Through our Elevate Next program, we provide comprehensive career support, including interview preparation that starts at the recruiter conversation and continues through every stage of the process.
Learn more about how we can help you shine in your job search by visiting Elevate Next.
Stay tuned for more insights from the Mastering Your Next Move series as we continue to explore strategies to help you confidently navigate your career transition.
