Paint a Picture of the Best You

There are some common mistakes people make when writing their resumes that can put a screener to sleep, even when it's an electronic scanner!  Start your resume with a professional summary that paints a broad picture of who you are and the strengths you will bring to my organization.  Write a professional summary that paints a picture of the best you!

Avoid terms that simply let me know you do what's expected...
Using terms like dedicated, motivated, punctual, or responsible in a profile or summary tells me that you haven't really thought about what you'd bring to my organization besides those things I expect from every employee.  I fully expect staff to be dedicated and motivated, certainly punctual and responsible.  So filling your profile with these terms doesn't tell me anything about you that goes beyond what's expected.


What makes you special?
You must think about what makes you special.  Answer the question - what are my top three strengths? We all have them, those things we really do well.  Again, you must go beyond dedicated, motivated, punctual and responsible.  Do you excel at troubleshooting or developing new programs?  Are you organized, detail-oriented with strong leadership or communication skills?  These are some of the terms that begin to differentiate you from the rest of the pack.

CAUTION:  If you tell me you have strong communication skills, be ready to back that up with examples or don't claim ownership of those skills.

How do I determine my top three skills or strengths?
If you've never thought about your three top skills, there's no time like the present to name them.  Go to any site that provides a list of action verbs.  One such site is Quintessential Careers.  Print up their list of action verbs and check every one that applies to or describes you.  Then go back and circle your top five.  These terms should be in your profile and demonstrated in accomplishments in the body of your resume.  If they are not, your resume is not painting a picture of the best you.

Take credit for your best you...
When describing your strengths in the profile on your resume, use terms like known for, demonstrated, proven and with a reputation for.  Again, ask yourself the question - what am I known for?  What do my colleagues, staff or managers look to me for?  An example would be - Demonstrated communication skills with the proven ability to build and nurture strong relationships with clients.   
OR Known as a strong mentor and coach with the ability to develop a team to attain high levels of efficiency and productivity.

If you've received an award, beyond the one given for good attendance, stick that up in your professional summary.  Include any special certification you may have to catch the reader's attention right up front.  In today's global market, speaking, reading or just understanding more that one language is a real advantage.  Make sure to include that as part of your professional summary.

As mentioned in previous posts, today's resume is never done.  It is not static and needs to be changed to emphasize the requirements listed in different job postings.  This fine-tuning is an easy task to accomplish once you have a strong professional summary that paints a picture of the best you.