A Resume is Not Rocket Science
There’s a clear distinction to be made between a great resume and a masterful resume. But before we dive into what the similarities are between best resumes, let me ask you this:
Do you recall the last presentation you attended? What did the speaker talk about?
Think long and hard. Afterall, you were there and listening, right?
You might remember a few words and are able to string the conversation together in rough parts.
Of course, you’re smart. What were the top 3 points that resonated with you the most.
Now let me ask you this: Do you think the 3 points that resonated with you the most were the points that the speaker intended?
Often, our words resonate with people differently than we intended. People can get confused with what we’re truly trying to convey in the midst of other information.
You have to plan what should resonate with the reader and dictate the reading direction.
When applying for a job, you have on average 7.4 seconds to drive across the 3 most important points. What do you want the recruiter to remember you by?
Mastering the resume is a craft but it’s not rocket science. From the patterns and similarities I’ve seen between the most successful job applications, there are a few tips and tricks that will increase your chances of succeeding.
Use the words of the company you’re applying to
What are the skills or talents of the ideal candidate for the role you’re applying for? Showcase how you’ve used these talents/skills throughout your career in the different roles you’ve had.
For instance, Management Consulting firms usually look for people who can analyze, communicate/present, execute, and lead. If you’re applying for a job where these skills are desired, then have every bullet start with either analyzed, communicated, executed, or led. “Active in the finance student association” becomes “led project x in the finance association”.
Show the recognition you’ve received from others
Social proof is a powerful tool in many aspects of life – but especially in situations where you only have limited time to impress and make an impact. Don’t underestimate the shortcuts recruiters and hiring managers take to speed up the process of hiring (you would be surprised).
Show that other people have already selected you and recognized you for your talents, skills, mindset, or etc. Did you get top 10% grades? Did you receive an award or a scholarship? Show it!
The herd mentality is deeply engraved in our psychology – so use it to your advantage.
Be concrete and show numbers and/or results
Share concrete data and timelines of what you have done, instead of just saying e.g. “I increased sales”. This makes it more real, and shows the reader that you are thinking about the impact of your work. An example of this could be “Grew sales 22% in 12 months”.
Should I include a portrait or not?
I’ve seen plenty of great resumes that included a portrait photo – even some masterful resumes. So, should you include a portrait photo as well? In short, probably not.
You can either have a great resume, but a bad portrait or a bad resume, but a great resume and so on… In essence there are four possible outcomes (22) – only one in which you achieve the desired result.
Mathematically, there is only a 25% probability that including a portrait in your resume will be successful. Chances are against you hitting the sweet-spot between a great resume and a great portrait.
Not including a portrait limits the amount of possible outcomes – you can either have a great resume or a bad resume. This is, effectively, a 50% probability of having a successful application (21). In other words, not including a portrait in your resume doubles your probability of having a successful application.
The rule of 3’s
Take a play out of the fairytale-writers playbook and utilize the power of 3’s. Writing in 3’s suggests that a trio of events or characters is more humorous, satisfying, or effective than other numbers.
The reader is more likely to remember the information because having three entities combines both brevity and rhythm while having the smallest amount of information to create a pattern.
Final thoughts
When you’re early in your career, your resumes should not consist of more than a single page – everything above that is unjustifiable. In your resume, you should only include relevant data and information that shows exactly why and how amazing you are. Any words that do not convey this should be cut from your resume. Show that you’ve stayed on a coherent path throughout your career or studies – at leasts in the rearview.
If you’re ready to start creating your next (or first) masterful resume, you can use the resume template developed by Mads Faurholt-Jorgensen here. You can also find other resume templates from McKinsey & Co, Harvard University, Stanford University, and Goldman Sachs here. Find our template here.
The resume templates are not colorful, do not have graphics or pictures but instead keep the reader 100% focused on the content, providing him or her with a clear reading direction.
