The ABC's of Resume Writing | "B" is for BUYING

B: Focus on BUYING motivators when detailing accomplishments.

In this week’s earlier post, I talked about the fact that resume writing is an art, not a science. There is not only one way to write a resume. There are strategies for each individual situation and there are three standard resume formats. In this post, I talk about employer buying motivators.

When writing your resume, keep in mind that your goal is to create desire. You must create desire for the employer to want to select you for an interview and ultimately for employment. This desire must be greater than the desire created by your competition. You may be asking “But what can I do to create desire and influence an employer to select me for an interview?”

According to professional resume writer Susan Britton Whitcomb, in her book, “Resume Magic”, second edition, desire is created when you “show why the employer needs you”, “show how you can satisfy the need”, and “prove your superiority in fulfilling the need.” Susan goes on to say that there are ten main reasons that motivate employers to buy. They are your ability to help the company:

1. Make money
2. Save money
3. Save time
4. Make work easier
5. Solve a specific problem
6. Be more competitive
7. Build relationships/an image
8. Expand business
9. Attract new customers
10. Retain existing customers

When writing out your accomplishment statements, be sure to address ways that you have achieved the buying motivators for current and past employers and your chances for landing an interview will be increased. Once in the interview, reiterate to the employer the ways in which you have helped your current and past employers accomplish these buying motivators and be sure to address how you will do the same for them.

Remember, accomplishment statements go well above just listing typical duties and responsibilities. While duties and responsibilities are certainly necessary to frame up your position, they really don’t help to position you above your competition and distinguish you as the ideal candidate. Instead, lead with strong action verbs and employ the C.A.R. process for detailing your accomplishments. C.A.R. stands for Challenge, Action, and Results. These are the points you focus on when writing your accomplishment statements. Be sure to include dollars, numbers, and or percentages where applicable and your resume will rise to the top of the stack!

Check back next Monday, as I will cover the next letter in this series, “C”, which stands for CONTACT information.