Whether you are looking for a new job, seeking professional speaking opportunities or applying for industry awards, a resume is a critical element of a personal branding strategy. If it’s been a few years since you’ve updated your resume, or if you are lucky enough not to have needed one lately, you may not be aware of how much they’ve changed. Today’s resumes are more than a laundry list of past jobs and responsibilities. The most effective resumes highlight your unique expertise, establish thought leadership and are optimized for applicant tracking technology. Your resume should be a living, breathing document that showcases your accomplishments and brings your story to life.
Three Ways to Showcase Your Personal Brand on Your Resume
The key to personal branding is your story: who you are, what you’ve accomplished and how you add value to your industry. Here are three tips for letting your personal brand shine on your resume.
1. Create a vibrant personal brand statement.
Generic objective statements on resumes are a thing of the past. A strong personal brand statement gives readers a snapshot of who you are and the value you deliver in about 15 words or less. Think of it as a slogan, tag line or elevator pitch. For example, a motivational speaker might say, “I empower individuals to redefine their life choices and discover their true paths to success.” Or a marketer might say, “I transform businesses from the unknown to the unforgettable.” To define or refine your personal brand, follow our steps to success.
2. Ensure your resume is well-designed, well-written, and current.
You could be the most experienced expert in your field, but if your resume is not professionally written, easy to read and up to date, it won’t accurately reflect your capabilities and value. Research shows that recruiters spend an average of seven seconds reviewing a resume before determining if it warrants further reading. Resumes that attract deeper consideration typically have several features in common. They have simple layouts with clearly marked sections and headers, all written in a clear font. Job titles are listed in bold font and supported by bulleted lists of accomplishments and impact (not duties or responsibilities). And most importantly, they include an overview, personal statement or mission statement at the top of the first page. Not surprisingly, cluttered layouts, long sentences, multiple columns and little white space perform the worst with resume reviewers.
With many companies using technology to scan resumes, simplicity is the new standard. Graphic elements may confuse the software system. But simple doesn’t have to mean boring. There are free or low-cost templates available to help you create a streamlined resume that grabs and holds a reader’s attention. Update your resume frequently to ensure it includes recent projects, new certifications and the most current information about your accomplishments.
3. Highlight thought leadership works.
Thought leadership content such as articles, blogs, podcasts, white papers, webinars, videos and speaking engagements demonstrates that you are a respected and accomplished expert in your industry. Create a separate section for publications and presentations, if appropriate. List information chronologically with the most recent entries first. Also, be sure to include titles, dates, names of magazines, organizations and links to online content for each entry. One tip: do not call yourself a thought leader—that’s a designation that you must earn, not declare.
Avoid Missed Opportunities with an Updated Resume
Many busy professionals are overwhelmed at the thought of updating and maintaining a well-designed, current and impactful resume. In fact, most only update their resumes when it’s time to search for a job. Yet, having a compelling resume on-hand is critical to personal and professional success. Plus, if you update your resume on a regular basis, it takes very little time to add details about a promotion, new certification or other achievement. You never know when a once-in-a-lifetime career opportunity will present itself or a speaking engagement at a well-known industry conference could pop up. Having a current resume ready to go can open a world of opportunities for your personal brand and professional career. Would you like our support in creating a resume that reflects your personal brand? Reach out to our experts to get started.
