Prefer Performance to Chronology in Your Résumé

Ditch the chronological résumé.

Scratch the traditional format of simply listing your educational background and previously held jobs.

Rather, use your résumé to highlight your specific accomplishments at the top. Word them in such a way as to be meaningful to the employer. Use strong action verbs to describe what you achieved rather than simply listing your job responsibilities. Remember, specifics sell. Your accomplishments must translate to their organization; they should be able to see you doing the same good work for them.

Consider this order as you draft your next résumé:
First, list your preferred name and all of your contact information at the top.
Next, use the heading Career Accomplishments for your performance highlights in a bulleted list.

Note these examples:
– Increased a $3.5 million territory to a $11 million territory, surpassing our five-year sales goal
– Grew market share 43 percent between July-December 2019
– Recruited 110 new all-school accounts during the last calendar year (2021)

Use the heading Career Track to list your previous positions and jobs and related experience.
Use the heading Skills to highlight the strengths you know will be relevant to the organization.
Use the key words in their job listing.
For the last heading, use Education, and list your schools and degrees and special certifications.

To update your resume, contact Mandi@MandiStanley.com. We offer two résumé packages:
– Rock Your Résumé REFRESH
– Rock Your Résumé REWRITE

Do I Really Need a Résumé Cover Letter?

Why do we even have to write cover letters? If we’re posting online, is it even necessary? Aren’t we just repeating what is already listed on the résumé?

Answer: Not if you’re using it correctly.

I get it. Cover letters can be tricky. For those of you who struggle with what to include, think of your cover letter as an opportunity to tell one story. Pick a bullet point from your résumé that deserves more in-depth discussion, and use your cover letter to tell the story of how you solved the problem, came in under budget, completed a project ahead of schedule, or increased market

share by a specific percentage.

In other words, let your personality shine in your cover letter. It’s your chance to share your success story.

Include these components:

A subject line proposing to fulfill a need for the employer

A direct opening sentence citing the open position and your source of information

Your understanding of the employer’s need

A story exemplifying how your skills can contribute

A request for an interview

To update your resume, contact Mandi@MandiStanley.com. We offer two résumé packages:

Rock Your Résumé REFRESH

Rock Your Résumé REWRITE

Do I Really Need a Résumé Cover Letter?

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