September Is Update Your Resume Month

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Did you know that September is International Update Your Resume Month? Launched by Career Directors International in 2000, this month marks the perfect time to revisit your resume and see if it’s up to par with what today’s recruiters and employers are looking for. If you haven’t updated your resume in a few years, the likelihood is that it’s a bit behind current standards. Even if you’re not looking for a new job right now, having a ready-to-go resume in your arsenal is helpful should that great opportunity present itself. 

The Crux of a Great Resume: Accomplishments 

The standard resume format most job seekers use focuses on skills or responsibilities in each role. These types of resumes generally consist of a lot of bullet points with those skills and tasks listed. Unfortunately, a “death by bullets” approach does little to market you to a future employer.  

While what you did at each role is still an important part of your resume, skills are not the primary components you want to highlight on your resume. These days, your best bet is to focus on your accomplishments and how you’ve added value at your positions.  

To craft great accomplishments that pack a punch, use this formula: 

Challenge … Action … Result  

In other words, there was a challenge you faced, an action you took to overcome that challenge, and then a result that came out of that action.  

In most instances, accomplishments fall into one of four categories:    

  • You made the company or client money.  
  • You saved the company or client money.  
  • You made stakeholders happy.  
  • You developed or improved processes and procedures.  

In your resume, aim to list one bulleted accomplishment per year, and don’t exceed five bullet points per position.  

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Update Your Resume with Your Value Proposition 

While accomplishments display ways you’ve helped companies succeed in the past, there’s another place you should do that: in your summary.  

If you have an older resume, you probably have an objective at the top of it. Objectives are common in a skills-based resume format and are obsolete when it comes to differentiating yourself. Therefore, if you have an objective, it’s definitely time to update your resume to today’s standards!   

In lieu of an objective, add a title or headline that states the position you’re seeking. Just below that, create a summary, where you’ll answer the question, “Why should I hire you?” Focus on the key skills that only you can bring to the position, as opposed to your personality traits. How have you added value to other companies in the past? What kind of leader are you? What are the results you can deliver? Overall, you want to share how your particular experience directly translates to the requirements for this job.    

A summary is often referred to as a branding statement because its goal is to brand you to an employer. Therefore, you really need to sell yourself here. After all, this is the first thing employers will read! 

Here’s an example of a great summary: 

A unique and insightful powerhouse who offers a proven record of success across commercial operations, strategy, global marketing, and research. Driven by data to bring an innovative perspective with an eye toward creating and delivering new growth opportunities. Extensive experience leading large, complex projects and in bringing cross-functional teams together as an engaging and supportive coach. 

Ensure Your Resume Is ATS Friendly  

No matter how fantastic the content on your resume is, if it doesn’t make it through the Applicant Tracking System (ATS), it won’t be seen. A key component to updating your resume is to create content that is compatible with the ATS software most employers use. That means it has to have:  

  • Contact information, including the city, state you’d like to work in, your phone number, email address, and any online portfolios or accounts that you’d like to highlight (a custom LinkedIn URL is a great addition).  
  • Relevant keywords that match the job description.  
  • A simple reverse-chronological layout without text boxes, lines, shapes, or columns.  
  • One color (black) and one font (Calibri, Arial, or Helvetica are best).  
  • No more than two pages.  
  • No photos or icons.  

 
Avoid filling your resume with keywords in white font. It’s bad form and could potentially eliminate you from consideration.  

Key Takeaways from 'Crafting an ATS Friendly Resume' Webinar

Resume Writing YouTube Playlist 

As we conclude this blog in celebration of “Update Your Resume Month,” it's the perfect time to introduce our sister company’s “Resume Writing” YouTube playlist. This handpicked selection of videos is your ultimate guide to creating a winning resume that gets noticed. Uncover proven strategies, dos and don'ts, and actionable advice to refine every aspect of your resume. Subscribe to our channel today, and get ready to stride confidently towards new career opportunities, armed with a resume that truly shines. 

Resume and Career Services, Powered by Blue Signal 

Resume and Career Services was launched to empower job seekers and provide them with the tools to be successful in their job search. Built by recruiters, career advocates, and resume experts with extensive experience supporting candidates in finding their ideal positions, their team is all about making a difference for you. Whether you are just looking for a resume or want an advocate to partner with you throughout your job search, at Resume and Career Services, we are here to help you secure your next role. Want to learn more? Visit our website to explore the full range of services they have to offer. 

Make sure to follow Resume and Career Services on social media (LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok) to stay up to date on the latest resume tips and career advice. 

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Using Employer Marketing to Overcome Talent Shortages

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With talent shortages on the rise, it’s more important than ever to know how to appeal to potential applicants and future employees through employer marketing. Having a good opportunity is no longer enough to cut it. In fact, 69% of candidates said they would reject an offer from a company with a bad employer brand, even if they were unemployed. Believe it or not, the fear of unemployment isn’t enough on its own to overcome a negative employer brand.  

On the flip side, 41% of passive candidates said they would accept a new position without an increase in pay if the company had a good employer brand. A positive employer brand is all it takes to overcome the stigma associated with a lateral move for nearly half of the workforce. Not to mention, a positive employer brand is enough to catch the attention of a happily employed candidate. 

Employer marketing is the first impression a candidate has with your company. Your employer marketing should answer any questions they may have about company culture, values, your mission, who you serve, what you do, and where the company is headed. In this blog, we will discuss how to better market yourself as an employer to win the war for talent.  

Marketing Your Company Culture  

As cheesy as it may feel, marketing your own company’s culture is really the only way to get the information out there. No one else is going to brag for you! To give your employer marketing the direction it needs, follow these steps.  

 Find Your Value Proposition  

Ask yourself, “why would someone want to come work for my company over others?” This is your value proposition! Maybe you’re known as an innovator in your industry space. Lean into that by mentioning the opportunity to be at the forefront of that innovation. Advertise opportunities for furthering a candidate's knowledge on the topic.  

business people looking at laptop

Perhaps you’re a smaller company, and the value you can provide candidates with is that personal touch. Describe your company’s culture and the close-knit internal communication. Advertise the flexibility you provide employees when it comes to making their schedules or working remotely. Really lean into the growth potential within a small but growing company. People will be intrigued by the opportunity to be a part of building something.  

Make Candidate Inquiries Accessible Through Employer Marketing  

In today’s job marketplace, candidates will be cross comparing your company and the opportunity you provide with other companies. Make their decision an easy one by addressing their questions up front!  

Make Your Value Proposition Accessible on a Careers Page  

When applying, a potential candidate should be able to go to your website and find answers for all their employer-based questions about your company. Due to this, you need to have a careers page on your website that outlines your culture, benefits, and more so that candidates can easily make a connection with your employer marketing. Build out this careers page by highlighting your value proposition as well as your mission statement, photos of your employees, workplace perks, and your internal initiatives.  

Better yet, ask your existing employees for testimonials, so potential hires can hear about your company from the source. Ask for confidential feedback and use the good stuff on your website. Any other feedback, leverage to make your company a better place to work. After all, the best employer marketing is honest employee satisfaction.  

Aim Existing Company Branding Toward Employer Marketing 

Understandably, most company branding is aimed toward customer acquisition efforts. Websites and other company collateral is usually created and used to market toward your customer base, not potential employees. However, these two ideas don’t have to be mutually exclusive. You’d be surprised to know that 29% of customers surveyed by Edelman said that in order to become a loyal customer, they need to know the business they shop frequent treats its employees well. This means that in order to wow your customer base, you need to be marketing to employees and potential hires as well.  

worker handing customer a package

Benefits of Employer Marketing on Your Customer Base  

By investing in your employer marketing you’ll encourage consumers to trust your brand more, too. For instance, if your company is branded as a sustainable choice for consumers, tell your company story and demonstrate how you apply that same mission/vision with employees. By making that connection known, and covering topics like corporate social responsibility, you’ll multiply your brand strength on both fronts. This makes it easier for both audiences to make a connection with your brand.  

Employer Marketing Through Social Media 

In the same spirit, leverage your existing company social media mediums to get the message out there about your employer brand. Share information on these pages about company culture, employee events, internal programs, and more. Be sure to take photos at team gatherings and give followers an inside look into what a day-in-the-life is like within your company. People trust brands they deem to be authentic, and what’s more authentic than leveraging your current employees as part of your employer marketing strategy?  

In order to stay relevant in this ever-changing hiring landscape, you have to prioritize employer marketing as part of your hiring strategy. Your employer brand will be unique to your company, so do what feels authentic to you and your workforce. If you want support along the way, talk to one of Blue Signal’s expert recruiters today about how you can improve your employer marketing to win this war for talent.