Several people connected with me after last week’s post, so I decided to dish out more of my secret resume tips!

To recap, I shared these 3 secrets last week:

• Keep it super minimal. ?? Meaning, keep the content of your resume super minimal. Yes, not just minimal, super minimal!
• Speak their language. ?? Meaning, use the words in the job description in your resume. Show the company you know what they’re talking about!
• Curate your work history. ?? Meaning, you don’t have to share your entire work experience. You can pare and trim, and only share what’s relevant to the job. I give you permission. ?

Visit my last post for more details on these three secrets and/or to copy the “curated work history” phrase I have my clients use in their resumes.

This week, I’m sharing two secrets that apply to your WHOLE resume.

Then, in the coming weeks, I’ll break down what you should include in each section of your resume, so stay tuned!

Alright, on to more secrets!

Secret #1: KYA

When it comes to your resume, you must keep in mind the first rule of communications: KYA or Know Your Audience!

So, who is your audience?

Recruiters, mainly. Maybe the hiring manager here and there.

And, what do they want or need to know?

That you’re qualified for the job.

By keeping your audience and want they want in mind, you can give them the exact information that their eyeballs should be on – no more, no less.

You might thinking, “Okay, that’s all well and great, Jamie. But, how do I actually do that?”

A great way to know what to add, cut, or keep in your resume is to ask yourself, “Does this bullet point… this phrase… this word demonstrate the value I have to offer to the role and company I’m applying to?”

If you answer “no,” cut it.

If you answer “maybe,” ask yourself: “What makes this bullet point… this phrase… this word valuable? And, how can I make even more valuable to the recruiter or hiring manager’s eyes?”

If you answer with a resounding “YES,” then keep it.

Secret #2: Give it room to breathe

Are you choking out your resume with too many words and formatting?

Um, probably.

No offense.

Just sayin’ that is the case with 90% of my clients. ?

So, let’s be honest here…

You’ve got to let go of at least 30% of the content on your resume and give it some breathing room.

If you’re doing an internal eye roll right about now, I get it.

It can be painstaking to trim, trim, trim content.

But, you’re not doing it for you.

Well, you are, ultimately.

But, for right now, you’re doing it for your audience (i.e. recruiters and hiring managers).

The less words on a page and the more spacing between lines in a paragraph, the easier it is for a person to read and grasp what’s being conveyed on paper or on the screen.

Bonus! ? This effort also makes your resume look more balanced.

A pleasing-to-eyes and easy-to-read resume is going to standout amongst it’s many congested and overloaded peers.

Believe me.

To send the message home:

• Applying these two secrets to your resume will help the recruiter or hiring manager FOCUS on what’s important and valid.
  
• It helps them focus on why you’re QUALIFIED for the role.

And, that’s where I leave you this week.

Next week, I’m going to jump right back into qualifications and how you can powerfully demonstrate that you’re qualified for the role in 3-6 seconds.

Ooo… you’re gonna love it! ?