Resume Tips for the Overthinker

For the last decade I have spent career coaching, the number one service requested has always been “Can you look at my resume?” Over the years I have seen many interesting things on resumes, but there is only one thing that truly surprises me every review:

The most qualified, hard-working people have the worst resumes

Now if you’re reading this thinking, “ouch that is harsh”, let me explain.

If you are in the weeds at your job and dialed into your industry, it is incredibly difficult to summarize your impact in an accomplishment driven, succinct way. And quite frankly, if you’re good at your job, a resume can feel like needing to justify your worth. This is where most high achievers fall into the trap of listing their entire career history, duties, certifications and skills that are no longer relevant. Throwing caution to the wind in hopes that something sticks may work for some projects, but not for the tiny real estate that is your resume.

If you fall into the high achiever, over thinker category, these tips are for you:

1. The Top 1/3 of your Resume is your Hook
   Like your English teacher told you in a high school, a clear thesis lays the groundwork for a solid paper. Think of the top 1/3 of your resume as the thesis as to why you’re aligned with the job you are applying for. Utilize a professional summary/highlights, Skill alignment and Quantifiable achievements to hook the recruiter into scanning longer than the average 17 seconds per resume.

2. All Accomplishments are not Created Equal
   To Build a resume that highlights impact, after each bullet point listed, ask yourself the question “so what?" and put yourself in the mindset of the resume reviewer. If you can not answer why that accomplishment will be of value for the job you’re applying for, it’s either time to ditch it or rethink it. Accomplishments do not serve as gold stars on a resume, they serve to show alignment and impact. Don’t clutter the space if it doesn’t match with where you want to go.

3. Resumes Unlock a Single Door, Not an Entire House
   If you are spending hours aligning and perfecting your resume, be sure you spending equal time on steps past the resume. “Perfect” resumes can give you a chance, but it is a mere snapshot of your professional experience. For many, doing the tangible task of a resume rewrite can feel comforting, but Investing time and effort in the “what happens next” phase is the secret sauce of a job search strategy.

We all bring wildly unique experiences to the job market. A resume is your highlight reel for your next career destination. Your value goes far behind a blank page or two. Don’t overthink its purpose.