10 Ways to Create Strategic Resumes

By Sharon Graham.

Clients hire professionals to write strategic resumes. And, professionals need to have superior skills to provide top-notch documents. For this reason, most resume writers and employment consultants regularly take professional development to upgrade their resume writing skills.

Some practitioners prefer to turn to the Internet to learn the basics. It is very tempting to download a resume template and modify it for a client. However, when you rely on templates, you automatically stunt your ability to distinguish your client and write a strategic resume.

Follow these steps to write a strategic resume and give your clients exceptional value:

1. Instead of relying on resume templates, start with a blank page.
2. Forget the “canned” statements and focus on concise, but creative wording.
3. Outline why the employer should hire your client instead of other qualified candidates.
4. Show your client’s uniqueness by focusing on attributes that most candidates don’t offer.
5. Impress the reader with the talents that often bring your client compliments.
6. Instead of chronological or functional format, strategically position every section.
7. Stay away from logging lists of responsibilities, tasks, and duties.
8. Outline only the most impressive accomplishments and show measurable results.
9. Go beyond education and experience to include committees, publications, and other areas that reinforce unique value.
10. Create a branded design element and look for your client’s resume so it reflects a professional image.

Click here to learn more about templates versus branded resumes.