Why most resumes fail

October 25, 2024
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What brought me to my current work was a sudden mid-career layoff years ago.

It happened during an economic downturn where I live and, my search initially failed miserably… in great part because of my resume.

I want to share more on this because when a job search takes much longer than it should, the first thing to potentially troubleshoot is your resume.

Here are the 2 main issues with most resumes that land in the “NO” pile:

1- Missing a clear target
2- Missing the punchline

Time for some honest talk about having a clear idea of your target role!

When you have a general resume, one that could work for a wide range of different roles, what you’re actually doing is making it hard for the hiring team to understand you…

They wonder:

What are you an expert in?

What do you want for your next role?

When your expertise is clear, they understand what you can do for them.

When your desired next role is clear through your resume, they won’t worry that you’ll just take a job because you’re desperate to make a move.

It’s just easier for them to eliminate you.

The second culprit when your resume gets you nowhere is it’s missing the punchline.

It’s missing THE MOST important elements that make you attractive to employers.

It’s missing the specific OUTCOMES you have delivered – that the employer cares about.

I can almost hear your thoughts right about now…

“But Danielle, in my last role, there were no measurable results” or “the numbers were not shared with me so how can I include them”?

This is common. And it’s not a problem.

There are still outcomes. Otherwise, why even do the things?

The more you can convey outcomes in your resume, ones that match the role you’re going for, the more interviews and opportunities you will be able to access.  

These are the biggest reasons resumes fail. They lead to a stalled job search.

The good news is it’s fixable.

Your resume is one of the most important assets in your job search toolbox.

And today, I’m going live with a brand new resume masterclass!

If you haven’t signed up yet, now’s the time!

See you soon!

Danielle

I’ll be sharing:

  • The most common resume mistakes mid-career professionals make
  • What recruiters and hiring managers look for in your resume
  • The impact of keywords and ATS compatibility
  • The essential components of a strong mid-career resume & ways to upgrade yours