What is the story you want to tell about yourself using your resume?

The big question I always ask administrative professionals who may be looking for a new opportunity is this… “is your resume up to date”? One of the areas that I coach executive assistants and administrators in on a regular basis is the importance and value of having an impressive resume. I am talking about one that “Sparkles”! I’m pretty picky about that,

especially if I want to refer someone to an opportunity. Whether you are looking for a new role in your career, contemplating a change or are completely comfortable where you are, your resume should speak “loudly” to others about your skills and abilities.

That is where you build confidence in yourself and your abilities. I passionately believe that your resume is the “Story” of you, and it is representative of a never-ending story of your career journey. Are you keeping track? Most executive assistants I have talked to are not and haven’t even looked at their resume for quite some time.

I have seen many resumes that candidly, would be the kind of story I would have no interest in reading. What I see often candidly is the absence of creativity in content of the resume:

• Lack of powerful and positive phrases such as affinity for technology, force multiplier, innovative, remarkable ability, etc.
• They include a “laundry” list of responsibilities held in each job which reads like everyone else’s laundry list – calendaring, managing travel, events, and expenses. Some even cut and paste some of the same responsibilities they had under one job under other jobs they have held. Talk about redundancy and lack of creativity.
• There are no “quantitative” accomplishments or results achieved in the roles noted. How did you make a difference?

Some of these resumes have the reader (or recruiter who is already blurry eyed) yawning and moving on to the next one on the stack.

If the resume is “your” story, what will you note on it that would peak another’s interest in you or let your existing manager know what you bring to the table?

• What makes you stand out among all the rest in terms of your abilities?
• What makes you unique and someone others would want on their team?
• What successes can you share with your manager and others in terms of all the projects (and amazing miracles) you have made happen during the year?

Yours Truly,

Debbie Gross