I see hundreds of resumes a year in my career coaching practice.
I also talk to hundreds of mid-career professionals who have either written their own resumes – with or without the use of AI.
Or they’ve delegated the task to a resume-writing service.
It’s shocking and heartbreaking to me to see the sheer proportion of resumes that are missing the mark!
If it’s taking longer than expected for you to land a new role mid-career, the culprit often starts with your resume.
And, it’s not your fault!
There’s A LOT of misguided information online about what makes a good resume.
A lot of it stems from thinking that a resume is a one-size-fits-all tool, IT IS NOT.
And, there’s a lot that goes under the hood of an interview-generating resume.
It needs to be customized to your unique situation and goals.
This is why most resumes miss the mark.
Many people believe resumes don’t matter much as few people get hired applying online.
Yet I see many of my clients succeed with online applications.
They combine this with other other strategies I teach to land amazing offers.
As a result, I work hard to help clients create resumes that will convert to interviews.
And to do this, we have to debunk some of the lies you’ve been told about your mid-career resume!
➜ Resume lie #1: Your resume’s not that crucial
Here’s the deal:
Networking and leaning into your connections to find a new role works well.
But at some point, you need a resume.
And if you want to command top dollar for your compensation, a modern, impactful resume will help you do that.
It will also help you land a higher-than-average rate of interviews from online applications.
➜ Resume lie # 2: You need to only go back 10-15 years in mid-career
This is a general rule of thumb but it does not apply to every situation.
You do need to curate your resume. It needs to focus on what’s relevant for the reader i.e. what’s relevant to the role you’re pursuing.
But if you’ve been with one company for 20 years, it makes zero sense to cut things off at 10 or 15 years.
You may get an interview and then it’s likely going to fall apart with the first screening.
The interviewer may feel duped and not trust you. You won’t move forward in the process.
Game over before it even starts.
➜ Resume lie # 3: You need to have a 1 page resume
This is another piece of advice that’s misguided or misinterpreted.
If you’re a new grad or have less than 5 years of experience, it makes sense to have a 1-page resume.
But if you have 10+ years of experience, it’s challenging to do yourself justice in a 1-page resume.
To stand out, your resume needs to showcase that you have the majority of requirements for a role.
And it needs to do that in a way that passes that 15-second initial scan.
Most 1 page resumes lack evidence of the results you deliver.
If you’re not landing incredible interviews in your job search, I invite you to book a chat with us.
We’ll give you the scoop on your resume and approach and, see if we’re a fit to work together.
This is part of what we do best, completely transforming clients’ careers.
It all starts with an initial conversation.
And with a customized resume that commands attention for the amazing professional that you are.
During this complimentary session, we cover:
✅ The 3 key strategies you can apply immediately to job searching now to get aligned results.
✅ How to leverage your LinkedIn profile so that it serves as an “interview magnet” that attracts your dream opportunities to you, without wasting dozens of hours on job boards.
✅ How to amplify your strengths throughout the hiring process and position you as the best candidate for the most ideal offers.