As consumers, we live in a society of competing brands that offer us so many enticing choices through their impactful branding and marketing.  We have an abundance of options – how do we choose?

Savvy businesses know exactly how to target us by understanding our needs and packaging and marketing their product accordingly.  And most of the time, we fall for it!

As professionals, we are no different…..

We are essentially our own brand selling a product to prospective employers who are also inundated with competing brands (applicants).  Many job seekers get frustrated when they don’t hear back from employers and many times it is based on the simple mistake of using “a one size fits all” resume. This approach is like selling a product with no target market – it’s a shot in the dark – who will buy?

How does your resume stand out from the competition? Just like any advertisement, you want to connect with your intended audience by showing them that you have the goods to meet their needs and convince them to invest in your product!

Here are 3 key questions to help you stay focused as you package your resume brand:

#1 Who is your intended audience?

As with any marketing, before you sell your product, you need to know the needs of your consumer – in this case the employer.  It is essential to do your research and find out what type of skill set and/or experiences your target employer is seeking.

Read through the job description and look out for repetitive key words and phrases, preferred and required qualifications, and specific criteria.  As you read through the posting, make sure that you integrate those components of the job posting in your resume. Use the profile and skills section of your resume to showcase how you meet those qualifications – think of that section of your resume as your commercial.  Lastly, peruse through their website and learn more about their mission and values – this information can be extremely instrumental.

#2 What is the focus of your resume?

In other words, what area of expertise are you marketing for this particular career opportunity?

Many job seekers have versatile experiences and have the tendency to create one general resume that they believe sums it all up – resulting in information overload.  You need to identify specific areas of the employer’s needs and reflect on specific tangible experiences that demonstrate your expertise in that area.

For instance, you may be applying to a managerial position, but perhaps you have not had any direct supervisory experience. However, you may find that in many of your roles you have indirectly served in leadership capacities. Perhaps you have led teams, trained staff, assisted with on boarding, stepped in for your supervisor, served in voluntary leadership roles etc.   It is important to self-reflect and think of those transferable skills. Always connect the dots for your reader!

 
# 3 How will the employer benefit from your product?

Once you have identified specific roles and experiences that demonstrate your qualifications, now you have to sell it.  What skills, experiences and credentials can you showcase that prove your value?

It is simply not enough to list bullet points with general functions (this is not a job description).  Think about each of your roles and how you have added value to the organization and position.

I realize this is easier said than done and many job seekers find it challenging to identify and convey these key experiences on their resume.  Here are some reflection questions that may help:

• What are some of your most proudest accomplishments in each role (paid and unpaid)?
• How have your previous employers / clients benefited from your unique skills?
• What type of positive feedback have you previously received from your performance evaluations?
• Are you the “go to person” for anything in particular? If so, what and why?

If you are still struggling with this, it helps to get feedback from former colleagues and trusted peers. Sometimes it is easier to point out others’ strengths than our own!

Once you have identified key experiences, be sure to quantify your impact throughout your resume.

Begin each bullet point with a strong action verb showcasing your value. Avoid being passive and remove “responsible for” and “assisted with” – I always scrunch my nose when I see this.

Instead, begin with words like: enhanced, increased, implemented, initiated, improved, launched, revitalized and so on. Leading with strong action verbs anticipates positive results and thus will entice your reader – that is the goal after all.

As you go back to the drawing board, these key questions should help simplify the process of branding your resume based on your target audience.

If this was helpful, check out: How to create a targeted resume