Employment article: The Myth of the General Resume

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Many professionals believe that their resumes are ignored because they are “missing” critical skills that an employer is seeking, and therefore they should pack every detail into the document. This kind of thinking leads job seekers to use a "general resume" because they don't want to limit themselves to only one job type.

While wanting an employer to see all your qualifications is completely understandable, this type of resume is often unsuccessful. Why?

Hiring managers are inundated with resumes, calls from job seekers, and new hiring requirements. They simply do not have time to read between the lines and figure out which job you are qualified for.

How can you avoid this pitfall? Change a few key items to alter the impact of your resume and increase your success in winning interviews:

Summarize your qualifications. It is a well-known fact that a resume objective statement is seen as self-serving. This is because it typically describes what you are seeking, rather than what you are offering. Using a professional summary instead can help to outline your fitness for the job.

For example, an objective statement such as “Seeking opportunity to develop, administer, and maintain project environments” will not have the same impact as a profile that uses “Consummate Web Developer with outstanding reputation for quality, cutting-edge software solutions to enhance business performance” on a hiring manager who needs to fill a software engineering spot.

Sharpen your focus. Employers expect to see interest in their companies, their job openings, and their needs. And who can blame them? Every phrase, keyword, and qualification in your resume, especially in your profile summary, should be tuned to fit the position at hand.

Consider carefully removing references to skills not needed in your desired position, while adding emphasis on those required for success in the same field. Look up keywords for the target position in resume books or do an Internet search.

Inject power into your wording. Watered-down descriptions of your skills do little to help a hiring manager see the value you bring to the company. Since your purpose is to stand out, not blend in, think carefully about words you choose to convey your talent. Avoid overused phrases such as “self-motivated team player” by increasing focus on unique aspects of your skills.

As an example, a sales professional could replace “Proficient in customer service with ability to meet quotas and goals” with “Recognized for consistently strong sales performance, with 140% of goal attained in aggressive market.” The difference, of course, lies in the details.

Remember, today’s hiring managers want to see exactly why you are qualified before bringing you in to discuss the job. Using specific language and keywords to increase your chances of success may well mean that you need more than one resume.

Then again, you may be able to use just one--successfully!

Laura Smith-Proulx is a Certified Professional Resume Writer and Interview Coach, and the Executive Director of Evans Resumes and An Expert Resume. She offers expert resume writing and interview coaching services to mid-career through executive clientele in the global marketplace. A former Fortune 500 recruiter with more than 18 years of experience assisting clients to meet their career goals, her work has been published in two international resume writing books. To learn more, contact Laura toll-free at 877-258-3517, or at http://www.evansresumes.com