Your résumé will get a 15-30 second look from a hiring manager, if you are lucky. Given that small of a window, it all comes down to what the top one-third of the document has to say. For maximum impact, a well-written, key word rich personal branding summary is the most effective way to market yourself.
It’s as much about style as it is content. You first have to direct the reader to where you want them to go and then provide a concise, hard-hitting description of who you are, what you can do and how that will add value for a perspective employer.
Objectives are passé. A company doesn’t care what you want or what your goals are. They do care about what you can do for them. What problem can you solve? How can you increase sales? What can you do for their bottom line?
Your opening should clearly answer those questions. It should articulate your personal brand, your unique difference and the value you offer. Whether you present a short list of major accomplishments or demonstrated areas of expertise or a combination of both, the important thing to remember is you have to get to bat before you can hit.
Your résumé should be geared to give you that chance. That is its’ sole purpose. You have to leverage your brand and your résumé is just one more way to do it. While self-marketing is difficult even for professional marketers, you have to adopt that mindset. Put yourself in the hiring manager’s place. What will make them call you? Whatever it is -make it compelling, make it interesting, make them want more!
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