Many job applicants find that creating a great resume is a delicate art. They struggle to do it right, which can significantly hinder their ability to get a job.
A post from The Undercover Recruiter showed that 10% of all job applicants have sent their resumes to over 50 employers without getting a response. This is a good sign that they need to do things differently.
Shutterstock Licensed Photo – By fizkes
A resume should have a section that enumerates your skillset. However, I have come across numerous resumes where the skills section is a total waste of space. Do not list proficiency in Microsoft Office as a skill; think bigger. In today’s job market, that is a bare minimum skill.
You don’t want to waste your time listing basic skills like this. It is important to remember that 40% of hiring managers won’t spend more than 60 seconds screening a resume. You don’t want to waste their time listing unnecessary skills or experience.
Marketing Resume Skills
While it is essential to list significant skills, you should always ensure that the skills are relevant to the job title. Over a third of the resumes I get do not mention the job title the applicant is applying for anywhere on the resume. This does not bode well for you as you come off as having not read the job description – you must be on it and must include your personal value proposition.
Also, it makes look you are carpet-bombing companies with your resume and hoping to get a response. Many companies use screening software, and when your resume does not have specific keywords, your resume will not reach a real person.
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Hiring managers tend to look at certain things, including:
- Mastery Of Specific Techniques/Channels – You should list the channel-specific or broad marketing skills you have mastered, whether it is content marketing, lead nurturing, video editing, public speaking, PPC, web design, email marketing, data visualization, mobile marketing or any other marketing you need. It is crucial you list the skills required for the job title. When applying for an opening as SEO manager, list skills relevant to SEO only (including keyword research and link building). Depending on the job description, you could include other skills, too, as the company might be interested in the additional skills you have.
- Mastery Of Specific Platforms/Tools – List all the software and tools you use in the marketing techniques/channels you have listed above. You could list PPC platforms, SEO tools, email marketing tools, video editing tools, etc. Ensure you read the job description and note whether they need candidates with experience in specific tools and or platforms.
- Mastery Of An Operating System And Coding Language – Include the programing language (or languages) you know, including HTML. You can add the content management systems and operating systems you are proficient in using. (Case in point, I usually notice proficiency in using WordStream site that runs on Drupal, given that it is not an ordinary skill.)
Always mention certifications and relevant awards, especially awards in the marketing industry.
Another tip is to try as much as possible, not be general or vague in this particular section. Almost everyone believes they can multitask, so adding this to your resume will not help you stand out.
Make Your Resume Stand Out
There are a lot of things that you need to do when you creating a resume. You need to make sure that it stands out as much as possible. The tips listed above should help.