Really? Well, maybe.

 

The relationship between an employee and his or her employer has a lot of similarities to a romantic relationship. It starts with a spark of interest, there’s a period of courtship and, if all goes well, years of mutually beneficial partnership.

Of course it can all go wrong and end in a bitter and spiteful separation. If that’s happened to you, it’s time to get back in the market and create a Tinder profile….er, I mean write a resume that sparks some interest.

 

What do people look for in a potential mate? 

 

Good looking, charming, eloquent, well groomed, sophisticated, great sense of humour. Yes, these are great attributes to have on the dating circuit. Can you say them about yourself on a dating profile? Hmmm? Maybe let others be the judge of those.

 

What do employers look for in staff?

 

Dedicated, highly motivated, enthusiastic, hardworking, loyal, team player, excellent communication skills. Can you say these things about yourself in resume? Hmmm? Maybe stick to some more tangible facts.

So, tangible facts. Here we switch analogies mid-blog. Joining a team at work is a lot like joining a team in sport. You’re asking the coach to give you a game on Saturday. The coach is thinking about what the team needs. What position needs filling? Starting to sound like applying for a job now?

 

Keep it simple 

 

So, the first thing to do is describe your skill set; the facts not the buzz words. You want to join a footy team? What position do you play? Defense, midfield, forward? Cricket’s even more specialized with different types of bowlers, opening batters, middle order, all-rounders and wicket keeper.

Any organisation has a far greater range of roles and skill sets required. The first thing on your resume needs to be a brief summary ticking off the skills you have that are required for the job. If it’s an advertised role or you have a job description, the skills required are in there. Just pick them out and put them at the top of your resume.

You haven’t made the starting 11 yet. The coach or selection panel needs to know if you’re any good. Why you and not that other player? Well, who’s kicked more goals, made more tackles, scored more runs, taken more wickets? Sports people have quantifiable measures of performance that allow the coach to compare players and pick the best.

That’s what you need on your resume. Quantifiable measures of performance that make a point of difference between you and the next candidate. If you are in sales, how much did you sell? Process improvement? What did you improve? How did that affect productivity or operating costs?

Now remember, these accomplishment statements are a highlights reel. Nobody wants to watch the full day’s play. Keep them down to six or seven for the first role and fewer and fewer for earlier jobs.

To sum up, get rid of all the buzz words and flowery adjectives. Tell the reader just what it is that you can do and make sure that’s what they need. Provide evidence that you’ve done those things well, you’re a proven performer.

That should spark a bit of interest.