At TalentEgg, we have a lot of experience with resumés. We’ve all written them ourselves and used a resumé to find our own first jobs. But in our current experience, working at a company that lives and breathes entry-level careers, we’ve gained even more insight on resumés from three different perspectives:
- From our daily interactions with entry-level employers
- As employers ourselves
- As a result of a lot of reading, analysis, thinking and speaking on the topic
And I have to say that, overall, we’re disappointed.
We’re disappointed with the way entry-level employers screen resumés and we’re disappointed with the way students consistently fail to take advantage of the opportunity to sell themselves effectively through their resumés. So, this will be the first of several articles on Resumé Writing. Each article will dive deep into the four key tips outlined below.
But first: What’s a ‘Career Launching Resumé?’
Let’s face it, traditional resumés aren’t meant for people without work experience, or even for people with work experience who aren’t on a defined career path.
The traditional resume is fantastic at showing how a sales manager can become an excellent sales director, but not so great at showing why your history major makes you the best candidate for an entry-level job at a magazine.
That being said, resumés are the most popular screening tool used by human resources departments today.
So how do you show an HR rep that you truly posses the qualities they’re looking for? How do you get past the ‘no work/no experience’ problem?
The answer: You ‘Resumé Outside the Lines.’ And when you Resumé Outside the Lines, you get a ‘Career Launching Resumé,’ or CLR.
Key elements of a CLR:
- It focuses on your greatest assets (achievements, not experience)
- It demonstrates your interest in the role you’re applying for
- It stands out among the hundreds or thousands of other resumés sent in
- It’s written like a sales proposal and the product is you
I’ll be going through each of these elements in-depth over the next several weeks. In the mean time, I’d love to gather feedback from the Incubator community: What is a key item you’ve included in your resume in the past that has helped draw attention and get your foot in the door?
Hey Lauren. One of the things I've noted that employers really like is my student service. By having a section dedicated to what I gave back to the community while I was studying and getting a degree I demonstrate that I have a desire to make more of my surroundings while also being able to multi-task.
Hey Lauren!
Like Brian, one of things that employers have liked about me is my extracurricular experience on campus here at McMaster University. To them it shows that I actually care about the environment around me and like making a difference for other people, in addition to enriching my own life. As well, it shows that I can multi-task very well.
Another thing I have found employers like is seeing the courses I've taken. Essentially, anyone could say they're attaining a BSc or a BA or a BComm and take really ANY class they wanted to.. but if you show that you took classes that are relevent to the job you're applying for, that can at least show to them that you have some relevent skills that give you an advantage over someone else!
I want to write a resume for jobs but Iam not geting a sample so that we want a resume sample to me Iam complete my Graduavation. Pls help me.
Lauren,
Your article really hit home for me. I graduated with a Life Sciences background, but plan to pursue business, so I can completely relate to lacking the right degree and/or experience. Thank you for addressing that issue, which I’m sure many people out there also fret over, and for your advice!
Kim