Today’s the day—early registration for The Brave Club closes tonight!
If you’ve been waiting for the perfect time to invest in yourself and your job search, this is it.
Why wait any longer to: ✔ Gain clarity on what’s next for your career. ✔ Build the confidence to go after roles that excite you. ✔ Surround yourself with a supportive community that’s cheering you on.
Job searching is hard enough without the right tools, strategies, and support. That’s why The Brave Club was created—to help you stop spinning your wheels and start seeing real progress.
💡 Again: Early registration ends at midnight, and with it, your chance to join at the best rate.
I was talking to someone not too long ago and they told me they’ve been actively searching for a full year now.
I’ve heard that story before from other people, and the questions they ask themselves are largely the same:
I know I’m qualified. What am I doing wrong?
When will things finally start to work out?
How much more tailoring can I do?
Job searching is emotionally draining, full of rejections and ghosting, and it’s easy to feel stuck.
But here’s the thing: You can find real help.
What if, instead of spinning your wheels, you had: ✔ A clear plan for what to do next. ✔ The confidence to pursue roles that light you up. ✔ A group of people who are in this with you, cheering you on every step of the way.
That’s exactly what The Brave Club is here to provide: clarity, support, and a path that leads to more interviews, job offers, and more money.
And there’s still a couple days left to join at the early registration rate of just $75! Early Registration ends this Friday (tomorrow)!
Ask yourself this: “How will I feel if I ignore this opportunity and nothing changes for me in my job search between now and July 2025? How will I feel if I give this a shot and things change for the better?”
So, what do you say? Are you ready to stop spinning your wheels and start moving forward?
Don’t get me wrong, it’s not fun. It’s just that tailoring your resume to match the job description probably doesn’t need to take as long as you might think, assuming that you’re largely applying for the same type of job over and over again.
Maybe 15 minutes in that case.
Once you get the branding down well, it should not be taking you hours to craft a resume to fit a job you’re applying to. So read on for some initial crafting tips.!
First, Why Tailor Your Resume?
When hiring managers review resumes, they’re looking for candidates who align closely with their specific needs. A tailored resume quickly shows that you’ve taken the time to understand the role and helps highlight why you’re the perfect fit.
Four Pillars of Effective Resume Tailoring
1. Job Title Alignment
Your job titles are often the first things recruiters notice, and they give a quick impression of what your experience and skills are. Make them count by:
Using industry-standard titles that align with your target role
Ensuring titles accurately reflect your responsibilities while matching the target role’s terminology (if the title doesn’t accurately reflect your responsibilities it can come off as being deceptive. Or ya know…lying.)
Adding contextual titles in parentheses when needed for clarity (e.g., “Project Lead (Technical Learning Specialist)”)
2. Keyword Optimization
The right keywords can make the difference between your resume being seen or overlooked:
Mirror key terms from the job description thoughtfully
Focus on relevant skills and achievements/outcomes that match the role
Remove or downplay unrelated experience that might distract from your core qualifications
3. Outcome/Result Framing
It’s not just what you did—it’s how you frame it and what happened as a result:
Highlight accomplishments most relevant to the target role
Quantify results in ways that matter for the position
If you’re having a hard time quantifying things (looking at you, Higher Ed and Non-Profit professionals), use qualitative/descriptive outcomes
Use industry-specific metrics that resonate with hiring managers
Transform generic achievements into role-specific wins
4. Responsibility Focus
Every bullet point should serve a purpose:
Emphasize duties that align directly with job requirements
De-emphasize or remove unrelated responsibilities
Use similar language to the job posting to demonstrate alignment
Focus on transferable skills when switching industries
The Golden Rule: Maintain Authenticity
A crucial aspect of resume tailoring is maintaining honesty throughout the process. Tailoring is not about fabrication or making stuff up—it’s about presenting your genuine experience through the most relevant lens for each specific role. Think of it as translation rather than transformation. You have to help people understand how relevant your experience and skills are.
Practical Tips for Implementation
Create a Master Resume
Keep a comprehensive document with all your experience
Use this as your base for creating tailored versions
Create a Resume Version for Each Role Type You Apply For
You’ll want a version that aligns with each of your target role types
Tailoring within a role type shouldn’t take you long
Analyze the Job Description
Highlight key requirements and qualifications
Note specific terminology and phrases used
Identify the most important skills and experiences sought after
Make Strategic Choices
Prioritize relevant experience by reorganizing bullet points
Consider the company’s culture and values
Review and Refine
Double-check alignment with job requirements
Ensure all information remains accurate
Proofread carefully after making changes
The Bottom Line
Resume tailoring is not so much about creating different versions of yourself—it’s about highlighting the most relevant aspects of your experience for each opportunity. When done correctly, it helps employers quickly understand your value proposition and increases your chances of landing an interview.
Remember: Your resume is often your first impression. Make it count by presenting your experience in a way that resonates with each specific opportunity while staying true to your professional story.
The Brave Club!
If you’re looking for a way to be more effective in your job search (in other words, get better at landing interviews and jobs), come join The Brave Club!
It’s my group coaching program designed for job seekers. If you’re an educator, leader, or career pivoter, this was built for you.
The Brave Club is a more affordable/accessible coaching option that provides you with community, strategy, accountability, and confidence you can use to more skillfully and successfully navigate the circus that is the job search.
Check out some quick details below:
6 45 minute group sessions focusing on Branding, Resume Development, Job Alignment, and Negotiation
Access to the private Facebook group for members
Regular job search advice straight to your email inbox
Open office hours for you to get specific answers to your questions
Early Registration starts today! Register as an early member by Friday, January 24th and you can get in for only $75!
Click here to learn more and get started with bolstering your job search!
Here’s what someone from the pilot group had to say about their experience in The Brave Club:
I had a great experience for someone that has a non traditional job and has not worked in a corporate environment it definitely made me start to think differently in my current role. I feel more confident having the tools to start applying I am not as scared. I highly recommend anyone to join (already have a few friends that are interested). Come in ready to share job search and interview experiences.
-Alicia S.
This is your sign! Come sign up and let’s get to it. See ya there!
Here it is, plain and simple: start applying for jobs.
It might sound obvious, but as a coach I see a whole lot of people hold themselves back from actually getting in the pool.
And yeah, there’s plenty of advice out there about what you should be doing during a job hunt—polishing your resume, growing your network, building your personal brand.
And those are all important! But none of it matters much if you’re not actually sending out applications.
The facts: it’s really hard to land a job if you’re not putting yourself in the running.
Why This “Simple” Step Is Often Overlooked
So, I’ve noticed a trend. Many people hesitate to apply for jobs because they feel like they’re not “ready.” Maybe their resume isn’t perfect yet. Maybe they’re unsure if they’re qualified. Maybe they’re overwhelmed by the process and don’t know where to start.
But here’s the thing: perfection is overrated, and momentum is everything. The more you apply, the more you’ll refine your approach. You’ll learn what works, you’ll get more comfortable tailoring your materials, and you’ll start to see patterns in job descriptions that clarify what employers are really looking for.
Building The Habit
One of the biggest hurdles is establishing the habit of routinely applying for roles. Job searching can feel like a full-time job in itself, but it doesn’t have to consume your entire day. The key is consistency. Dedicate specific time blocks to job applications—whether that’s 30 minutes a day or a couple hours a week.
When you prioritize this habit, you’ll notice a shift. Suddenly, job searching feels less overwhelming and more like a manageable part of your routine.
Action Steps To Get Started
Ready to get them applications out? Here’s how to make it happen:
Set a goal: Decide how many jobs you’ll apply for each week. Start with a realistic number and adjust as you gain momentum.
Create a schedule: Block out time on your calendar for job applications. Treat it like an important appointment.
Start small: If you’re feeling stuck, pick one role to apply for today. Sometimes, just starting is the hardest part.
Track your progress: Use a spreadsheet or a job search tracker to stay organized. Logging your applications can help you stay motivated and identify follow-up opportunities.
Final Thoughts
Job searching is a process, and like any process, it works best when you keep moving forward. You don’t need to have it all figured out before you start. The most important thing is to take action.
So, what are you waiting for? Get those apps out—and take the first step toward your next opportunity!
Looking for some accountability and guidance? Come talk to me about my coaching programs. Getting started and knowing what to do can make this process of finding your next job SO MUCH EASIER.
“Hire him! If you are ready for change, ready to do the work, and receive honest feedback Hire him! Best money I’ve spent this year!”
-Adetola O.
Click here to schedule a free consultation with me. It’ll be quick and easy. I promise.
So we’ve all seen that submitting the same generic resume for every position simply doesn’t cut it anymore. The key to standing out lies in strategic branding, targeted networking, and–of course–resume tailoring.
That means you gotta customize your resume for specific roles while maintaining complete truthfulness. I have a comprehensive guide to mastering this essential job-seeking skill for y’all. Keep reading!
Why Tailor Your Resume?
When hiring managers review resumes, they’re looking for candidates who align closely with their specific needs. A tailored resume quickly shows that you’ve taken the time to understand the role and helps highlight why you’re the perfect fit.
Four Pillars of Effective Resume Tailoring
1. Job Title Alignment
Your job titles are often the first things recruiters notice, and they give a quick impression of what your experience and skills are. Make them count by:
Using industry-standard titles that align with your target role
Ensuring titles accurately reflect your responsibilities while matching the target role’s terminology (if the title doesn’t accurately reflect your responsibilities it can come off as being deceptive. Or ya know…lying.)
Adding contextual titles in parentheses when needed for clarity (e.g., “Project Lead (Technical Learning Specialist)”)
2. Keyword Optimization
The right keywords can make the difference between your resume being seen or overlooked:
Mirror key terms from the job description thoughtfully
Focus on relevant skills and achievements/outcomes that match the role
Remove or downplay unrelated experience that might distract from your core qualifications
3. Outcome/Result Framing
It’s not just what you did—it’s how you frame it and what happened as a result:
Highlight accomplishments most relevant to the target role
Quantify results in ways that matter for the position
If you’re having a hard time quantifying things (looking at you, Higher Ed and Non-Profit professionals), use qualitative/descriptive outcomes
Use industry-specific metrics that resonate with hiring managers
Transform generic achievements into role-specific wins
4. Responsibility Focus
Every bullet point should serve a purpose:
Emphasize duties that align directly with job requirements
De-emphasize or remove unrelated responsibilities
Use similar language to the job posting to demonstrate alignment
Focus on transferable skills when switching industries
The Golden Rule: Maintain Authenticity
A crucial aspect of resume tailoring is maintaining honesty throughout the process. Tailoring is not about fabrication or making stuff up—it’s about presenting your genuine experience through the most relevant lens for each specific role. Think of it as translation rather than transformation. You have to help people understand how relevant your experience and skills are.
Practical Tips for Implementation
Create a Master Resume
Keep a comprehensive document with all your experience
Use this as your base for creating tailored versions
Create a Resume Version for Each Role Type You Apply For
You’ll want a version that aligns with each of your target role types
Tailoring within a role type shouldn’t take you long
Analyze the Job Description
Highlight key requirements and qualifications
Note specific terminology and phrases used
Identify the most important skills and experiences sought after
Make Strategic Choices
Prioritize relevant experience by reorganizing bullet points
Consider the company’s culture and values
Review and Refine
Double-check alignment with job requirements
Ensure all information remains accurate
Proofread carefully after making changes
The Bottom Line
Resume tailoring is not so much about creating different versions of yourself—it’s about highlighting the most relevant aspects of your experience for each opportunity. When done correctly, it helps employers quickly understand your value proposition and increases your chances of landing an interview.
Remember: Your resume is often your first impression. Make it count by presenting your experience in a way that resonates with each specific opportunity while staying true to your professional story.
Looking for help enhancing your job search? Let me know! What’s your biggest challenge in your job search right now?
Job searching is so complicated now. Too complicated. There’s so much nuance and this and that.
As a coach, I can’t help but think it shouldn’t be this hard to get a job that you’re very qualified for.
But here we are.
So, I want to share some advice with you all on the 3-part strategy I’ve seen work the best, both as a coach, and as a former hiring manager. Keep reading.
The 3 Kings of Your Job Search
There are three major components that you HAVE to nail if you wanna get hired. They are:
Targeted branding
Targeted resumes
Targeted networking
Not necessarily in order of importance, just altogether. You have to do each of these 3 things well.
Targeted Branding
Targeted branding means you have to communicate a clear message. You need to clearly and quickly demonstrate that you have an overall profile that matches the role. Your skills, experiences, intangibles, etc. have to show that you’re ready to hit the ground running in the role(s) you’re applying for. Branding is how you stand out from the crowd and create differentiation between you and other similar candidates.
Targeted Resumes
Yes, your resume needs to be tailored to the role you’re applying for. You have to reflect their language, speak to relevant skills and experiences, and do so clearly and quickly. Without a clear and strong resume that’s easily readable, you’re fighting an uphill battle.
Targeted Networking
Remember the old “It’s not what ya know, it’s who ya know” saying?
Well it’s kinda true. Simply applying isn’t enough anymore.
It’s unfortunate, but true. You need to network. Tap in with your existing network, but you’ll also need to do some cold outreach.
Do your best to get in touch with people that can get you in front of the hiring manager (i.e. recruiters, current employees, etc.). It’s hard, but it really does help and it’s definitely worth the effort.
Volume Matters
One other thing. You have to get out enough applications. But not half-assed apps for jobs you’re barely aligned for.
You have to get out enough applications for jobs that you’re a good candidate for, while doing targeted networking.
It is exhausting. It’s draining. It’s frustrating.
This is the game, though, and you absolutely can and will beat it.
Keep at it, stay consistent, and when you get tired…take a break and then get back to it.
You can do this.
Here To Help!
My goal is to get people hired. Quite frankly, a lot of you are extremely qualified for the jobs you’re applying for, but there are nuances to the process that are holding you back.
Maybe it’s your branding, maybe it’s your resume or your interview skills, maybe it’s the fact that you’re disorganized.
Whatever the case may be, coaching can help you get that next job. I’ve seen it happen with my own two eyes:
“Brandon created a very comfortable environment for me to be honest about my frustration and journey. I felt validated and seen. I also appreciated that we were strategic and tactical.
Most importantly I landed a job. This was one of my goals in hiring a coach and getting interviews. Before Brandon, I had not landed one interview in 3 months of applying.”— Adetola O.
Are you signed up to my email list? If not, let’s change that:
If you are, come chat with me. I hold free consultations all the time, and they’re meant to be a space for us to get acquainted, chat about your goals, and see if coaching is right for you at this moment.
If it is, great. We’ll talk about options. If it’s not, that’s ok too. We’ll talk about things to be mindful of at this point in your journey.
Either way, the fall is the perfect time to get active in your search journey and put together a strategic campaign. So let’s get to it.
Did you know that you should be following up on all of your job applications?
In fact, I tell all my coaching students they need to follow up on every single one of their applications within 24 hours or less.
Yes, that fast.
“But why? Because even when I do follow up, I almost never hear anything back.”
“What should my approach be when I do that kind of follow-up?”
“Who am I supposed to follow up with?”
These are some of the things I cover with the people in my coaching program. But keep reading for some insight.
Why You Should Follow Up That Fast
Every hiring process moves at its own pace. Once a job is posted, you never know how fast the hiring party is going to move.
By the time you see it, you won’t necessarily know where they are in the hiring process. For example, the recruiter may have already identified the 10 candidates they want to pass on to the hiring manager for interviews. And recruiters don’t always go back to the candidate pool once this happens (unless they need to).
So if you’ve submitted your application after they’ve found 10ish applicants that meet the hiring manager’s criteria, there’s a good chance your app is not going to be seen in part because the recruiter might not know you even applied.
That is, of course, unless you tell them right away. See what I’m sayin?
What Should My Approach Be When I Follow Up?
Your follow-up needs to be concise and done in a way that very quickly and clearly communicates that you’re an amazing candidate for this role. You gotta convince them that they need to add another person to their small circle of really qualified candidates. In other words, you have to be incredibly well-branded. Especially if you’re pivoting from one industry to another.
Read those last few sentences again!
Who Should You Be Following Up With?
The people with hiring say-so should be your targets. That generally means recruiters and hiring managers. If you’ve networked well, you can get right into the interview room via the hiring manager.
You might have to do some digging to find these people, but there are ways and it’s well worth it. Keep in mind that this is a–if not THE–crucial part of your job search.
Coaching Slots Open
We’re getting close to the end of the summer, and that can mean we’re heading into a time of year where hiring sees an uptick for a bit.
Getting hired is hard. If you’d like help making that happen, let me know quickly! I have a few more slots open in my coaching program.
You can get into my most popular tierfor $1099 if you contact me before Wednesday, September 4th. After that, it will go back to its normal price of $1295 before going up in the fall!
It’s an offer that’s only going out to those of you seeing this post, so take advantage! Message/email me if you have questions, or click here to set up your free consultation now.
Now keep your hand up if you feel like you’re having 0 luck landing a job despite having transferable skills.
Awkward.
In theory, transferable skills are super valuable. In fact, you can google transferable skills and find all kinds of blogs and articles talking about how in-demand they are.
In reality, though, what tends to happen is transferable skills don’t land you a job.
Transferable skills on their own will not land you a job.
On their own, they are kinda useless.
There’s hope, but first, let’s look at why I’m telling you they’re useless on their own.
AN EXAMPLE
Let’s say I’m a hiring manager, and I’m hiring for a Project Manager role. There are 100 candidates in the pool for this position.
Keep in mind that my hiring team and I have limited time and resources.
Why would I hire a teacher with transferable skills, when there’s 30 perfectly good project managers in the pool?
What are the chances of that?
What are the chances of me using my limited resources to even interview that teacher with transferable skills when I could just interview the 30 perfectly good project managers?
The odds are probably not very good.
Now if I had UNLIMITED resources (i.e. time, money, energy, hands, etc.), then sure I might take the time to really dive into exploring how actually useful and relevant your transferable skills are (they are). I might actually come to understand how effective you are at delivering the results I need via your transferable skills, especially once you’ve been trained.
But I don’t have unlimited resources, sooo I’m probably just gonna make it easy on myself and hire someone who’s already a project manager. Sorry.
This is why you’re not getting interviews or jobs off the strength of your transferable skills.
But again! There’s hope!
In order for your transferable skills to be useful, you have to do something with them.
You have to translate them.
HOW DO YOU DO THAT?
First of all, you have to identify what your relevant transferable skills are. What is it that you can do that would be useful in a different context? What functions have you performed that require abilities you could use in a new field or role type?
You have to be intentional and specific about this step first and foremost.
Once you’ve identified them, it’s time to learn how to tell stories about them. In particular, it’s time to stop talking about your “teacher” experience like teacher experience, and instead start talking about it like “project manager” experience.
An employer is not going to connect the dots between your transferable skills and the role for you. You have to do it for them.
This second step is the part that trips people up. In order to talk about your teacher experiences and skills like project manager experiences and skills, you need to learn how project managers talk about their stuff.
What do you know about what project managers actually do on the day-to-day? What tasks and functions do they execute? What terms and lingo do they use? What outcomes do they work toward (emphasis on this part)? So on and so forth.
You gotta learn how to tell the story correctly, and that means telling it in a way that is (1) recognizable and (2) speaks to the relevant impact you can have through your skills.
Without this, your transferable skills will not do you much good.
BRANDING PLAYS A ROLE
Part of developing your brand is identifying your core tools, and learning how to sell/pitch them. In other words, what skills are you really really good with, and how well do you convey your proficiency with them?
Getting your framing down.
When you get really clear on your brand, you’ll be more aware of your core skills. You’ll become better at telling stories about how you have and can use them. You’ll be more effective at conveying your ability to drive impact and outcomes.
And this will help you translate your transferable skills into a set of tools that can actually help you land that project manager role.
If you’re looking to pivot from one role type or field to another, branding is a valuable step for you.
Would you be able to tell me about your brand right now? If the answer is no, we should talk.
I’m running a Build Your Transferable Brand program designed to help you put together your brand in 2 1-on-1 sessions with me. The details and benefits? See for yourself:
It’s a $400 program, but you can get it for $300 for the next 7 days! This deal is vanishing on August 2nd!
Let’s get to it right now so you can be up and running in time for the fall (as in, when hiring typically picks back up again).
By now, I’m sure you’ve heard the common resume advice:
“Tailor your resume to each job posting you apply to!”
It’s how you get more interviews. Sorta (go here to understand what I mean).
But I’ve been seeing some information floating around about resume tailoring that could be a little confusing.
Specifically, I’ve been seeing people on LinkedIn post things like “Tailoring your resume for each job posting is a waste of your time and energy! You don’t need to do all that”
Aaaaww snap! Which is it then? What should a job seeker like you do?
I wrote about it briefly in this LinkedIn post, but let’s explore a little more here.
SHOULD YOU TAILOR YOUR RESUME FOR EACH JOB POSTING?
The short answer to this is still “yes” but there’s some nuance involved. Before we get into all that nuance, though, it’s worth it to discuss why it’s important to tailor your resume.
It’s pretty simple, truth be told. You tailor your resume to show you’re qualified and actually should be applying to the posting. Seems obvious, but the truth is a lot of people apply to jobs that they’re either not super qualified for, or not at all qualified for.
Recruiters and hiring managers don’t want to spend a whole lot of time combing through each and every resume–they want to quickly glance at them and be able to determine who’s worth taking a longer look at and who isn’t. Tailoring your resume helps whoever’s reading it understand that at the very least you’re one of the ones that’s worth that deeper look and potentially moving on to the call/interview stage.
The question, though, is do you need to tailor your resume every time you submit an application. I mean, what if your resume is already in pretty good shape?
The answer: yes and no (dang it! Why’s it always “yes and no” or “it depends”?! Why can’t it ever not depend??).
Here’s the thing. You need to determine what industry and type of job you’re generally going to be applying for. Are you applying for Customer Success Manager jobs? Social Media Marketing Strategist jobs? Project Manager jobs?
Many companies and institutions have the same types of jobs, and Customer Success Managers across companies play very similar roles. They kinda do the same things, with maybe a couple differences from company to company.
So if you’re a non-profit recruiter or a higher education resident director, you’re going to need to first take your resume from being a “recruiter” or “resident director” resume to being a “customer success manager” resume.
Similarly, if you’re also applying for project manager jobs, you’re also going to need to make another version of your resume that’s a “project manager” resume. And so on and so forth. The tailoring involved in this step will probably take you a while.
Once you’ve done that, though, things get a little simpler. When you submit your resume for a specific Customer Success Manager job, you should tailor it to fit that specific posting, but this should not take you very long to do. I’m talking minutes.
You’ve already done the heavy lifting of tailoring when you first made your “Customer Success Manager” resume, ensuring that the marketable skills and outcomes you described are relevant and appealing for customer success manager jobs. The tailoring at this step is just making sure you use the words in the specific posting you’re applying for (i.e. if the job posting says “management” instead of “supervision”, you want to make sure you reflect that in your resume), and double check that your resume hits on the key skills/results described in that posting.
There’s some variability between Customer Success Manager jobs from company to company, but probably not very much. So while you should be tailoring your resume to each job you apply for, it should not at all take you very much time to do it…if you’ve done your job of creating the right “base” resume to begin with.
WRAPPING UP
It’s not that tailoring your resume is a waste of time. It’s not. I mean, it can be, but not necessarily. It really just depends on if you’re doing it the right way.
Make sure you have the right “base” resume(s), and go from there. When done well, you can then tailor your resume to each job in a matter of 5-10 minutes.
Y’all got this. And if you have questions, let me know! Send me an email at brandon@begallantcoaching.com and I promise I’ll get back to you.
WEBINAR ANNOUNCEMENT!
Very soon I’ll be hosting a free webinar on an important mindset shift that will make you a stronger candidate. I’m talking more interviews, more offers, better offers. I’ll give you a hint.
If you’re applying for jobs, that makes you an applicant. So I bet you’re also thinking like an applicant. That’s not a good thing. I will send you an invite soon, but if you want to make sure you get it, just drop your name, email, and “invite me!” in the form below and I’ll make sure you get it.
By the time they come talk to me (click here if you’re ready), they’ve usually been searching for a while. They’re also usually pretty frustrated, confused, and at least a little disappointed because they’re struggling to land interviews. And it’s pretty hard to get jobs if you’re not getting interviews.
Here’s the thing: It’s not that they’re not applying for enough job openings–they’re usually applying for plenty (in some cases 100s). It’s not that they’re not qualified for the jobs they’re applying for–they have great qualifications. It’s also not that they don’t have the right skills–they’re skills are valuable and aligned with the job description.
So what’s the deal?! Why so few interviews???
Walk with me…
YOU’VE HEARD IT BEFORE…
You gotta tailor your resume to the job description. Scan the job description to identify the keywords and make sure you include them and speak to those skills. This is very important.
But you’ve heard this before, right?
You’ve already done this. Over and over. Every time, in fact. And you’re still bamboozled because…crickets.
Still little to no interviews to show for it. Damn.
I hear this story from job seekers ALL THE TIME, and here’s what I’ve noticed.
In the vast majority of cases (very nearly all of them), their resume is almost entirely tasky. Take a look at your work experience in your resume. Is it essentially no more than a list of tasks you’ve carried out? That is not a good thing. If it’s basically just a list of tasks you’ve carried out, then there’s no difference between you and anyone else who’s carried out those same tasks (at least on paper). And in that case, there’s no real reason for a hiring manager to interview you over anyone else with the same or similar job history.
If your resume is task-driven, you probably won’t land very many interviews. In order to differentiate yourself from other candidates, you need your resume to be results-driven.
TASK-DRIVEN VS. RESULTS-DRIVEN
A task-driven resume is essentially the job descriptions of the jobs you’ve held. It may demonstrate skills, but no matter how aligned those skills are, there’s nothing really special about that resume because it tells me nothing about your proficiency with the skills. Having the skills is great, but what a hiring manager ultimately cares about is whether or not you can actually produce desirable results.
All of your bullet points should clearly demonstrate that you have a track record of driving a positive impact in your work. This is how you show them you were actually successful and are a top-notch employee.
And that’s the candidate that gets interviews.
Show me those numbers, those increases, those tangible changes!
THE USUAL FOLLOW-UP QUESTION
“But Brandon, I feel like I don’t really have many outcomes to speak to, so what do I do?”
I usually get some version of that when I give this feedback to someone. Here’s my response:
How did you and/or your supervisor know you were successful at this *chooses random bullet point* task?
Light bulb moment! The answer to that question is a positive outcome, and you should speak to it! And I bet you can answer that question for each of your bullet points.
I bet the reason why you’re having such a hard time identifying results you’ve produced is because you’re thinking strictly in terms of the numbers. And numbers are good! Great, in fact. If you can attach a % increase or number to it, please definitely do so. But if you can’t–depending on your role or your field it might be hard to have the numbers on hand–that doesn’t mean you don’t still have positive results to speak to.
You can–and absolutely should–still produce a results-driven resume. Every time.
WRAPPING UP
If your resume is task-driven, you’re facing an uphill battle. Candidates with task-driven resumes are really hard to distinguish between, especially if they have a similar background or work history. It’s also really hard to tell your proficiency if you’re just describing the tasks you’ve executed.
So let’s see those outcomes!
WANT MORE SUPPORT?
The people in my coaching program get this kind of stuff from me all the time. And if you’ve been job searching for a while now, you probably recognize that a successful job search goes way beyond a good resume.
Job searching is hard. Where do you even start? How do you make a good resume (and cover letter)? How do you communicate the unique value you bring via your professional brand? How do you network in a way that’s strategic and gets your foot in the door?
Come talk to me! We cover all this and more in my coaching programs (click here for details!). If you want to bring your search to a close and land a job that you really feel good in, then give yourself permission to look into some good support.
Get a head start on the new year and step out of your comfort zone so you can land that new job. I’ll help you!
Fill out this short interest form today and I’ll contact you!
Be Gallant Coaching 