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Your resume has to tell potential employers what you can do for them. Yet people still fall into the trap of writing sentences that describe their job duties instead of their skills. A simple way to avoid this is to use the “so what” method of writing a resume.

The “so what” method makes you think about each statement and why it is important to an employer.  For example, this is a phrase taken from a resume sent to me for an evaluation: “Provided production workers with needed inventory information”. Interesting statement but how is that relevant to a potential employer, especially since they probably don’t need you to provide production workers with inventory information? Let’s fix it by asking “so what does that mean to me”, the employer.

Digging deeper, we find that this person interfaces with over 15 workers daily to convey this information, usually between production shifts, and the information has to be retrieved from 2 different systems and had better be accurate. So what comes out of this? The following skills are illustrated:

- Recognized for ability to interface with wide range of personnel and reliably relay production-critical information during quick 10-minute shift changes.

- Highly computer proficient with the ability to quickly learn and navigate proprietary production and inventory control systems.

Which statements do you think would most impress an employer? So just ask yourself “so what does that mean to the employer?” after you write your statements and your resume will dramatically improve.

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Would you walk into an interview blindsided – not knowing what the employer does or what’s involved in the role you are applying for? For those who want to succeed and be effective in an interview the answer is “No.” You should always go into an interview prepared with key messages in mind to help you demonstrate why you are the best fit for the company and position.  This same rule should apply for your references.

To ensure you present excellent references to a potential employer, you need to prepare your contacts. It’s not simply about seeking permission from your contacts to serve as a reference, but sharing information with them so that they are aware of the company and position you are applying for. This information will inform your contacts of subjects they can focus on when contacted. The message they leave behind should complement the highlights you’ve presented in your resume and during the interview.

Here are some tips to managing your references:

1. Direct each reference to focus on a different important aspect.
   Let’s say you are applying for a job as a journalist. While it’s great that all your references can confirm your strengths in writing, you leave an employer more impressed when you have references that can speak to other aspects that are important on the job. Encourage one reference to hone in on your writing capabilities, another to focus on your organizational skills and commitment to deadlines, and a third reference to speak of your strong research and interviewing skills. A potential employer will see how well-rounded a candidate you are for the job.
2. Debrief your reference on the type of position and company you are applying to.
   When checking in with your contacts about serving as a reference for you, fill them in about the company and position. There’s no need to keep this a mystery. References typically want to help but they do not always know how best to do so. Inform them. Give information on the company and position and help them understand the important areas of focus for the position.

   This is also a time for you to mention particular projects and points you referenced in the interview. It helps to remind your reference about the work you were involved in with him or her specifically. If you haven’t worked together recently, your specific contributions may not be top of mind to your reference. In this approach, you are not telling your references what to say, but rather you are guiding the direction of their communication and reminding them of your specific contributions while employed together.

3. Give your references a heads up on when to expect a call from the employer.
   Just as you should be prepared to answer the phone professionally in case the call is from a potential employer, giving your references a heads up will allow them to do the same. You also want to make sure your contacts will be available to respond. Don’t have a potential employer follow up with a reference if you know that contact will not be available, whether it is due to travel or if your contact is on deadline and doesn’t have the time during that particular week.
4. Audit your references.
   Your contact’s willingness to serve as your reference does not guarantee you will get a “positive” reference. Conduct an audit by having a friend contact your references to ask questions typically posed by employers. There are also services available, such as Checkster, to help you gather feedback on your past performance from references. This will allow you to evaluate if you should reconsider who you have on your list.

References are a critical component to the job hunt. If an employer makes a suggestion to proceed with checking your references, it generally means you are under serious consideration for a job offer. And, if it’s down to you and another candidate, your references can help you through the tie breaker. Or, it can cause damage if they are not properly managed.

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Just as important a resume is to helping a job seeker secure opportunities, so is the cover letter. A cover letter helps you hone in on important messages – to create a “conversation” – and gives the employer a sense of your personality that is not always captured through a resume alone.

Yes, there are employers who may completely ignore cover letters, but you put your chances for a response at greater risk when you don’t include one.

For the many employers who do care for the cover letter, seeing no cover letter or one that lacks any concrete anecdotes can imply you are not as interested as other candidates who have taken the time to personalize a letter to clearly highlight personal talents and offerings. A cover letter is another marketing tool in your arsenal, so take advantage of the opportunity to help you better sell yourself.

Here are some cover letter guidelines:

1. Do not make your cover letter an attachment.
   This particular tip applies to applicants who are sending information via e-mail to an employer. While the cover letter and resume stand as two separate documents, your email message should be your cover letter.

   Your email message will be the first point of communication with an employer, so it should provide information to entice an employer to read on. If you aren’t captivating an employer’s attention immediately, it is unlikely they will move on to opening your attachments.

2. Address a specific contact in your cover letter.
   A reader’s attention is captured when you address him or her personally. Just think about when you receive communication from someone you are unfamiliar with. It’s more likely that you will dismiss the communication when it is addressed in general with: “To Whom It May Concern” or Dear Sir/Madam.”

   Carefully review the job posting or conduct research online in LinkedIn or the company’s website for the appropriate contact you should have your letter addressed to.

3. Create a captivating opening.
   An effective resume offers a captivating opening that summarizes your experiences, skills and strengths. A cover letter also needs to have a captivating opening.

   Avoid boring openings such as: “I am writing to respond to your ad…” or “I am interested in…” These statements are obvious to the employer and it also comes off as self-centered when you start with “I.” Utilize the beginning of your cover letter as a way to highlight information that sells. It should immediately present information that indicates what you have to offer and why it is a terrific fit.

   For instance, you may want to start by indicating how your event planning and management experience in the pharmaceutical industry can directly relate to the company’s need for a candidate with a well-established network of contacts in the pharmaceutical industry for business development purposes. Your experience may have allowed you to establish relationships with top experts in the field who are also contacts the potential employer is seeking a way to connect with.

4. Don’t rehash information or tell your life story.
   A cover letter is not meant to be redundant in information and does not benefit in being a long-winded life story. Customize your cover letter to directly address information the employer desires and seeks without repeating anything directly from your resume. Keep information succinct. You’re not writing to a pen pal, so maintain focus and keep it to no more than a page and no more than 3 to 4 paragraphs. There should be a captivating opening, a body to flush out more information that helps you make a point and a closing.
5. Make sure you address everything that is asked for.
   Many employers indicate specific instructions in the job posting for applicants. It may be a request to address specific questions or salary requirement information. It is important to address what is asked by the employer or you will come off as a candidate that does not follow instructions well. It is an easy reason for any employer to dismiss your application.

A cover letter is meant to be another marketing tool you can utilize to sell. It is an opportunity for you to present information that may not be suitable in a resume. Maintain focus and personalize information to directly inform an employer what you have to offer and why you make a good fit.

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Every week I see hundreds of resumes sent to me for a free evaluation. Most of them start with an Objective indicating what that individual is seeking. Then they list the various roles and responsibilities they have held in the past. Where this style of resume was successful 5 years ago, it isn’t going to work in today’s market.

You used to be competing with about 200 other resumes for the interview. Now you are competing with about 600. Companies can’t bring in 100 people for interviews and they can be choosy, so your resume better make you stand out.

Think about it – an OBJECTIVE says “this is what I want”. Better to start a resume with “this is what I offer”. So instead of an Objective, have a Profile of the skills and experience you offer. Try to put meaningful information in the Profile, not just fluff. Imagine yourself on a game show and the host is about to introduce you – “Our next guest….”. What would they say? This should be your Profile.

Next, under your Professional Experience, don’t just list your roles and responsibilities. Everyone knows that an Administrative Assistant answers phones and files correspondence. Tell how successful you were on the job. Indicate the scope and scale of your responsibilities. For example, state that you “Provided administrative support for 5 managers and 15 staff in an extremely fast-paced, deadline-intensive environment”. Tell them that you were “Consistently praised for professionalism, pleasant demeanor and the ability to meet the most aggressive deadlines.” See the difference?

Simply put, unless your skills are so unique and your accomplishments so great that you truly stand out, you should consider investing in your career by hiring a professional resume writer. The state of the art of resume writing has changed so much in the last few years, as has the economy, that knowing what keywords to include and what skills and accomplishments to highlight is a tough task. And it’s difficult to write about yourself – I’ve written thousands of resumes and I think I would hire a professional to serve as a sounding board and draw out of me the things that should be on my resume.

If you are unsure, take advantage of my Free Evaluation and I will personally review your resume and let you know what it needs.