Your Resume's Audience - Cheers Or Silence?

What does the content of your resume say aboutthe hiring manager.
you? Is it an Autobiography, or a solution to yourSo what's important to hiring managers? Hiring
readers' problems? IF your resume gets seen bymanagers today hire people who can solve their
human eyes (remember, 97% get pre-screened by aproblems without much ramp-up time or training.
database search), you have an average 15 secondsToday's hiring decisions are made efficiently. And the
to capture the reader's attention. That's the averagequickest way a hiring manager can find someone who
time spent reviewing a resume. In 15 seconds ancan solve specific problems is to SEARCH FOR
interview/no interview decision is made. Just 15SOMEONE WHO'S ALREADY SOLVED THOSE
seconds - That fast.SPECIFIC PROBLEMS.
So how do you grab your reader's attention? WriteFor instance, do you list detail of accomplishments
about what is important to them. Don't write aboutthat are important? Who are they important to? To
what is important to your own ego. Do you realizethe hiring manager for the job you're applying for? Or
the majority of today's resumes don't address anjust to you?
employers' problems? Most are written for the jobIf you are a manager or executive, do you write
seekers own pride.about general leadership, or about detailed
Do you think it matters much to your audience whataccomplishments? Do you write about general things
you are most proud of? Will your reader care enoughthat should be important to every hiring manager, or
to read your resume in detail to get an idea of whowrite about accomplishments that are important to
you are and what you can do? Or does yourthat specific hiring manager?
audience care more about rapid solutions to theirThink of it this way - if the vast majority of resumes
problems?are written for the job seekers' own ego, and just a
A common resume improvement is WRITING FORsmall percentage address what an employer wants
YOUR AUDIENCE. A resume is veryto see, isn't it far easier to stand out in the crowd?
personal...especially if you're a professional, manager,Could this help you gain an Unfair Advantage over
executive, or have had a long career - your resumeother candidates, if you are one of the few?
describes your life. Most people write resumes listingSo write your resume to solve an employer's
accomplishments they are most proud of. I can recallproblems, and you'll get interviews. Discuss how you
numerous recruiting candidates I worked with whocan an solve employer's problems in an interview, and
fiercely defended wording that made them feel goodyou'll get offers.
about themselves, while sacrificing opportunities toBe the solution => get an Unfair Advantage =>
make statements that would interest their audience -get the interview => and get the job.