The job transition process is composed of five distinct components. First you must have a clear and concise job objective. Second, you must have the right tools to land the right job – and that includes a compelling resume. The third component is developing an effective job campaign strategy, the fourth is honing your job search skills including networking and interviewing, and the fifth component is maintaining a positive and confident attitude throughout the entire process. This essay will address the only part of the job transition process that you have 100% control over – the resume.

Can you imagine Coca Cola trying to package its products to look like and blend in with Pepsi? Can you imagine Toyota trying to package its line of automobiles and trucks to look like and blend in with its competition? In any competitive market, the winners stand out and the losers blend in. And here’s the real irony. It doesn’t much matter which product is best. What matters most is which product is most recognized and accepted by the consumer. When it comes to the US and global labor market, where competition for good jobs is fierce, most people are competing with resumes that simply don’t stand out.

Most resumes are assembly line, look-alike documents often referred to as chronological obituaries. These traditionally accepted, but seldom effective, resumes assume that prospective employers are interested in a candidate’s work biography. They are not. Traditional look-alike resumes are dull, unexciting, and communicate the same mundane information as most other resumes. They say to the prospective employer, “I don’t know my value and I don’t know how I can best benefit your company. So, please read my assembly line biography, that I quickly threw together, and see where I might fit into your future plans.”

You are a highly educated professional who has invested years training your mind and honing your skills. If you are like many in your profession, you have spent more than 20 years in academia and countless hours studying, researching, and working on your vocation outside the formal classroom. Indeed, the sad reality is that unless you master the art of self promotion, who will know about you? How will you attract the best jobs that are worthy of your abilities? How will you stand out from the thousands of other candidates vying for the same job you want? You have trained and invested too much to fall short of your career goals.

A resume is a document that communicates clearly and precisely what results you can produce. You must begin writing the resume with the ‘reader’ in mind. What MUST prospective employers see on your resume that will get them enthused about your candidacy? What MUST prospective employers see on your document that will inspire them to want to interview you?

In today’s hectic society, you have about 10-15 seconds, at most, to make a powerful first impression. An effective resume needs to address the following 4 questions quickly and effectively:

1. What position(s) are you seeking – or what are you qualified to do?
2. What results can you produce that would benefit our organization?
3. What skills and qualifications do you possess that differentiate you from your competition?
4. Specifically, where have you used these skills and qualifications, in the past, that would lead a prospective employer to believe you can produce them again in the future?

No doubt, you did not approach your studies or your profession casually. Don’t treat your resume casually either. By working hard on your resume, you will achieve 5 major benefits:

1. Your will clearly define your value to the marketplace and communicate this on the resume.
2. You will identify the right job transition strategy that aligns with your resume.
3. You will gain a greater degree of confidence in marketing yourself with a well designed and crafted resume that communicates your ability to produce significant results.
4. It will open doors that otherwise might not get opened.
5. You will interview with more confidence and precision.