As a career coach and certified resumé writer, I advocate for the career story. After working with hundreds of clients, I have come to conclusion that conveying a story speaks volumes. Think about it, how does a list of 15 dot points containing responsibilities and tasks sell your abilities and knowledge? Compare this to well‑written and structured achievements that clearly highlight your strengths, career or personal successes and overall experience. So, what is your career story?
The recruiter or hiring manager wants to understand you as a person and on paper you need to be an open book, not a long book! They want to scan a document that is concise, compelling, and has relevant content. It’s like reading a book that you simply cannot put down because it is intriguing, engaging and has a hook to keep you interested in what happens next. This same rule can be applied to a cover letter or a job application.
A resumé should begin with a profile, which is the ‘bones’ of who you are professionally and where your knowledge lies. This is Chapter 1 of your story. Chapter 2, move into your strengths, values, skills and personal attributes. Then you lead into your work history, which would be Chapter 3. Let the document flow from one section to the next and be consistent in your language, style and personal brand.
I have worked with clients who have limited knowledge about where to “pitch” their story. For example, if you have management, supervisory and team leadership experience, focus on that. Please do not undersell your capabilities or transferrable skills. Let’s look at an example – the following compares a standard resumé dot point and an achievement story.
- Responsible for attending to all incoming calls and enquiries, entering order data for customers and meeting company timeframes.
- Achieved a 91% KPI rating, 6% above company standards, for inbound customer calls, resolution of enquires and completing online orders.
What’s the difference? Quantifiable information that backs up performance. It also shows an efficient operator who can meet set targets and deliver high levels of customer service. Here are some more examples:
- Achieved less than 0.25% error rate across the payroll system for the 2020/21 financial audit year.
- Introduced a new document management system that enhanced workflow and eliminated duplicate records.
- Awarded Commonwealth Bank Queensland Employee of the Year in 2021 for attaining significant banking efficiencies.
Chapter 4 to your story could be incorporating one or two quotable supervisory statements, client feedback or reference excerpts. If you received a glowing recommendation that touches upon some of your personal and professional qualities, you need to communicate this within the resumé, so include a short statement. Ten words spoken on your behalf holds more weight than 110 words spoken by you. It could look something like this:
“Simon provided expertise and leadership to deliver several business initiatives. He is highly regarded at a national level by the transport industry and has a talent for customer service excellence” – David Black, Director, ABC Consulting, 2020
By using a career story method, your resumé will stand out. Also remember to link powerful keywords associated with your industry of choice. Be aware of your brand, know your personality, leverage your skills and position yourself as an expert in your field. You want your resumé to be picked off the shelf amongst hundreds of other candidates, so make sure it is visually appealing, concise, and informative and exciting to read.
“I think people love having a person behind a brand who lives it. The idea of storytelling is really important” – Aerin Lauder (US Businesswoman and Granddaughter of Estée Lauder)