4 Steps to Building a Killer Résumé

4 Steps to Building a Killer Résumé I have reviewed a ton of résumés over my 33+ year career as an executive leader; most of them are not very well done; they all look the same.Most people research the templates that are out there and select the boiler plate they think is the best. This normally means the one that is the quickest and easiest to complete!evalThere are two “moments of truth” when you submit your résumé to an organization.The first is when the human resources folks get it. This is the 3rd party bottleneck you must pass through if you want a shot at the person who is filling the position. HR people don’t really have a detailed knowledge of what the position requires. They are assessing the incoming résumés from a position outline provided by the hiring manager. How is your résumé going to capture the HR guy’s attention if it doesn’t stand out from the others; if it isn’t special and unique in some way?The second moment of truth is when the hiring manager gets your résumé and decides w hether or not to invite you in for an interview. Now the scrutiny is at a much more granular level in terms of your background and qualifications. Again, if your résumé is no different than everyone else’s why should you earn the right to a face to face meeting?Before you engage with any organization to explore opportunities, you need a résumé strategy.The process most people use is to shop their look-alike résumé around to the organizations that appear to have an opportunity available. They flog themselves with the hope that their capabilities will somehow resonate with the recipient. This approach has a low probability of success.Here are the 4 steps to develop your résumé strategy:1. Be clear on your TARGET MARKET; those organizations that you are interested in whether they have a current opening or not. Name them; be as specific as you can.?2. RESEARCH each organization thoroughly. Determine as best you can what their strategy is; the challenges they face. This will gi ve you insights on the skills and competencies they may require.?3. Build a CUSTOMIZED version of your résumé for EACH organization you approach. Don’t flog your boiler plate résumé to as many organizations as you can. It’s about customizing a version of your résumé that addresses the specific needs of each company and the attributes they require. If you are interested in 10 companies, you should prepare 10 versions of your resume.?4. Answer the question “WHY SHOULD I HIRE YOU?” This is always the killer question given the many other people interested in the same opportunity. The answer can’t be vague. It should declare as specifically as possible why YOU and no one else should be recruited. It can’t be, for example, “I have significant marketing experience”; many others could (and will) make the same claim. The way to do this is to create your personal ONLY Statement: “I am the ONLY one that…” (http://www.bedifferentorbedead.com/blog/item/257). This will clearly communicate the unique value you offer relative to others.?Remember, you are marketing yourself; your résumé must make you stand-out in the crowd.