There’s an internet meme floating around that makes me laugh every time I see it. It’s not quite true for me but I know SO many people that this describes perfectly.
If what I regularly see out in the wild, you’re probably making a major mistake on your resume but before I tell you what it is, I want to ask you a question.
Do you have that one friend (or maybe your significant other, no judgement) who tells stories with the most random, unrelated, you-could-live-without details?
How does that make you feel?
If you’re like me, you tune out and pray for the sweet end…
… but if you’re like most people, your resume is that story. (Sorry not sorry to be the bearer of bad news.)
Your resume is long (more than 1 page) and it’s boring. Now, in marketing, there’s a saying:
There’s no such thing as copy that’s too long. Only one that’s too boring.
So for now, let’s talk about boring and get to that mistake there’s a good chance you’re making (but I hope you’re not).
You treat your resume like a task list instead of a highlight reel. A hiring manager doesn’t need to know you were the team leader for fire drills. Or that every now and then you answered customer calls. Or that you think you have strong attention to detail.
You remember not too long ago when I told you a lot of marketing principles apply to resume writing? Here’s another one…
Show. Don’t tell.
The content of your resume should be crafted such that the reader knows you have attention to detail based on the highlights you showed in your resume — by using power words and impact. That’s how you pull the reader in so they want to learn more i.e. bring you in for an interview.
For more resume tips, click here to download the free resume guide.
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