How To Update Your Resume Without Outdated Features

Resumes no longer have rules. They are marketing tools, and they are selling you to potential employers. They can be as individual as the people they represent. Resumes in today’s highly competitive job market should be employer-driven, all about how you fit the employer’s needs and bring value to their company.

1. Objective: In the past, it was a resume standard that you begin your resume by stating your career or target company desired in an objective statement. Those days are gone. Why? An objective statement is all about what you want; it’s not company-driven. Employers aren’t reading your resume to determine whether you want their company; they’re scanning it to see if they want you.

If you really want to grab their attention, begin your resume with a “billboard” of large power-words. Start with your job title such as “Chief Executive Officer” or “Marketing Strategist”. This communicates to the employer what your career position is right off the bat. Then on the next line, state your greatest strength or a bonus value you would bring to the company such as “Trilingual in Spanish, French, and English”. The last part of the billboard is a synopsis of you professionally, several sentences summarizing your best skills and experience.

Another alternative to an objective is writing a “Profile” statement that summarizes you professionally and your successful career growth. An example beginning is “Innovative sales and marketing specialist with a track record of exemplary performance in the pharmaceutical industry…” Throw in plenty of keywords, industry-specific jargon for which employers’ computer systems will be searching. For example, if you’re an accountant, some keywords would include general ledger, accounts payable, accounts receivable, accounting, invoicing, payroll, bank reconciliation, and expense reports. Keywords are extremely important to have in your resume with all the computerized software analyzing resumes and weeding out those that don’t have them.

2. Job Duties: Sure, employers want to know what you’ve been responsible for and generally what your duties are and were, but more importantly, they want to know what you have accomplished with those responsibilities. I cannot stress to you enough how important this is. A brief two- or three-sentence summary of what your job entails, followed by a bulleted list of your most notable achievements and awards is much more effective and gives the employer evidence of your ability to excel at your job.

3. References available upon request: This statement at the end of your resume is optional now. It is generally an unspoken understanding that you will provide at least three references if asked to do so. If you’re lacking in space, leave it off. On the other hand if you need something to fill a significant space, include it. (By the way, be sure you include email addresses, if possible, in your contact information for references.) Your actual references’ names and contact information do not go on your resume. They belong on a separate sheet of paper which you provide once the employer requests it.

If you want to compete to stand out of the mass of job seekers in the market, you have got to be up-to-date on effective resume strategies. Individualize your resume to reflect the unique person it sells and show employers what you have accomplished and what value you bring.