Why Your Resume Should Sound Like It Was Written By A Human Being
What exactly does results-oriented professional actually mean? How do you stand out when you describe yourself that way or in a similar manner? Unfortunately, you don’t. Having a bulleted list of generic does not give recruiters a real picture of who you are.
If you are looking to stand out, then your resume needs to sound like it was written by a human being—someone with personality. Here are a few reasons why it’s important that your resume not sound robotic.
Personable Resumes Convey Much More Information
As touched on above, phrases such as “results-oriented professional” give little insight into a job applicant’s abilities. Ditto for “excellent communication and organization skills,” and “financially savvy professional.”
Instead, stand out by using first person. Describe your accomplishments instead of deploying meaningless adjectives. Use clear, concrete examples in engaging language. For instance, one sentence in a job description for a company could read: “I got ABC its first nationally televised interview as well as an interview on NPR’s ‘Fresh Air Weekend.’ While I was there, annual billings grew from $2 million to $20 million.” This approach is more illustrative than something like, “I coordinated media outreach and PR strategy, and increased billings.” While you are at it, make sure that you align the language of the resume with the position you are applying for.
Human-Sounding Resumes Maximize Your Power
When you use canned phrases and clichés, you sound like everyone else. One school of resume advice says that applicants should stuff their resumes with keywords so they catch the attention of a hiring manager and/or an applicant tracking system. While there is some truth to this—some companies do use automated tracking systems—you should consider if this is a company you want to work for.
Otherwise, the best way to use your power as a job applicant is to convey how you will solve your potential employer’s problems. You do this by explaining how you solved the pain points for your previous (and current) employers. Your progression through jobs takes on an active, more compelling aspect. It’s much more powerful than a resume bloated with virtually meaningless phrases.