Segal Coaching Webinar - Solving 20 Top Resume Challenges.

1.
Solving 20 Top
Resume Challenges
Segal Coaching Webinar
Friday, April 21, 2017
By Anne Marie Segal, founder of Segal Coaching
© 2017 Anne Marie Segal. All rights reserved.
Images licensed from Adobe Stock.

2. Overview: What We Will Talk About Today
The Blank Page
The Role of the Resume
Your “Why”
Creating Impact
The Writing Process
Revisions and Final Review

3. 1 – Overcoming Resume “Stage Fright”
The Stage (i.e., Blank Page)

4. 1 – Overcoming “Stage Fright” (Part 2)
The Blank Page
It’s like standing on stage.
Performance Anxiety
This is “make it or break it.”
It must be amazing.
What do you write?

5. 2 – Reading Through the Eyes of Another
THE SECOND CHALLENGE SOLVES THE FIRST ONE.
When you write, put yourself in the place of your readers –
what do they need from you?
This takes practice, research, insight and emotional intelligence.

6. 3 – Seeing a Resume as Problem-Solving
The Resume is a Problem.
No, not that kind of problem.
It is just another problem (among many in our lives) to solve.
Do you like problem-solving?
What is the problem a resume is trying to solve?
Get information about the candidate to the audience.
Does it do a good job? Not always.

7. 3 –Resume as Problem-Solving (Part 2)
Resumes Are Inefficient. TRUE.
In general, even if well-written, resumes are inefficient.
Why so stylized? Why little chance for creativity?
Many have complained, yet tradition holds.
Stop fighting. Start writing.
Show your ability to problem-solve within constraints.

8. 4 – Understanding the Resume’s Purpose
Why We Write Resumes
Communication – Speak to a Person
Lest we forget – eventually a person reads it!
Market Your Strengths (Matched to Role)
Goal #1 Get an Interview OR Verify Your Candidacy
“Appetizer not Main Course”
Goal #2 Key Up Right Questions in an Interview

9. 5 – Attracting Across Audiences
Who Reads Resumes?
Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) – figuratively “read”
Recruiters
Human Resource Departments
Hiring Managers / Partners of Firm
Future Colleagues
Networking Contacts

10. 5 – Attracting Across Audiences (Part 2)
Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) – scanning for keyword matches
Recruiters and HR – “six second review” then deeper dive
need to expend their political capital to recommend candidate
Hiring Managers / Partners of Firm – with goals of job in mind, to the
extent known, same level of review as Recruiters/HR
Future Colleagues – varies, may be focused on their own goals and
personality of candidate as much as job requirements
Networking Contacts – also thinking about match and whether to expend
networking capital to recommend candidate

11. 6 – Communicating Your Value Proposition
Your Own Personal “Why”
It’s not a laundry list of what you did.
What do you bring to the table?
What is authentic and compelling?

12. 7 – Tooting Your Own Horn
Capturing Your Strengths
If you don’t say it, who will?
What does your audience care about most?
What accomplishments show your value?
How can you serve the role (and organization)?
Why should they pay you $100K+ [or other amount] per year?

13. 8 – Adding Measurable Accomplishments
Did you increase revenues?
Save time?
Train people?
Reduce expenses?
Did you lead a team to do any of these?
By how much? In number, dollars (euros, yen, etc.) or percentages?
From what baseline and over what period?
Is the information confidential or can you disclose it?

14. 9 – Leaving Out the “Kitchen Sink”
Get their attention with proper spacing and editing
in the top third of the first page, where they are more likely to look.
Don’t overcrowd in an effort to fit more. Be judicious.
The so-called “kitchen sink” resume in which you try to fit everything in tiny print – this is 10 point, but I have even seen resumes
written in 9.5 point! – will hardly get read. This is especially true if your reader is tired from staring at a computer screen all day.
Why should the person reading your resume need to strain or do work to read what you have written? You should be doing the
work, so they don’t have to do it. They won’t, I assure you.
• Bullet points are good to break up the space, but don’t just have a list of 10 bullet points without some order to it.
• Look what happened here? There is too much on the page competing for your attention. Your eye doesn’t know where to
go. More about that late in Point 19, including line breaks. Here, there’s a break between “to” and “go” and single word on line
three.
The fix for an overcrowded resume is NOT fancy fonts (simple ones are best),
small type faces or bringing the margins out as far as possible. If the page is not
appealing to the reader, it is much less likely to be read. Be honest. Were you
compelled to (strain to) read my tiny bullet points above?

15. 10 – Leveraging Your “Prime Real Estate”
Get their attention (let’s try this again)
ANNE MARIE SEGAL asegal@segalcoaching.com
linkedin.com/in/annemariesegal
Stamford, CT 06901 Ÿ 203-274-7734
This is your summary section. It states your value proposition and signals to people whether
they want to continue reading. You can keep it to 2-5 lines or add multiple paragraphs,
depending on how much your target audience likes to read in this context (not how much they
read in general). For CEOs, I write shorter intros. For attorneys, longer ones.
Including your LinkedIn URL on your resume prompts the reader’s engagement, inviting
further “investment” in the review and giving you another chance to make your case.
• More Good Stuff
• More Good Stuff
• More Good Stuff
• More Good Stuff

16. 11 – Putting Extra Energy in the Right Places
What do people read in a resume?
Consistently, people start by reading:
Name, Contact Info
Summary (if included)
Most Recent Role
Education (even if on page 2)
These sections must be very strong to encourage the reader to press on.
Especially a recruiter, who may “read” 100+ resumes per day.

17. 12 – Demonstrating Integrity
It’s Not Just Grammar and Punctuation
You demonstrate integrity, strength and credibility through:
Main Idea and Supporting Arguments
Proper Grammar and Spelling
Parallel, Active Verbs
Style, Structure and Font
Consistent Tabs, Spacing, etc.
Proper Use of White Space

18. 13 – Sweating the Small Stuff
Examples of how you “sweat the small stuff” and, by implication, will do so on the job:
• Using a professional email, not your work account
• Having no typos whatsoever
• Starting with action verbs (“Pioneered….” or “Led....” not “Responsible for....”)
• Only including hobbies if they put you in a good light and expand your range
• Including military service and/or significant volunteer activities
• Not introducing political or religious beliefs unless relevant to the role
• Not mentioning parts of any role that are “grunt work” (unless you are a junior candidate)
– here you are “sweating the small stuff” by leaving out the small stuff; prioritize!

19. 14 – Creating a Narrative
Write for your readers.
Everyone has a story. What is yours?
What parts should should they hear first?
Can you make your language more engaging?
Do you show - not tell - how you can address their pain points?
What, in the end, will they pay you to do?
Does the person you describe in the summary match your experience?
Does your resume tell the reader who you are and are becoming?

20. 15 – Tailoring to the Job Description
Keywords Are King.
You absolutely must tailor your resume to the job description.
If they want someone with experience in bovine reproduction and you are right on
point, say that upfront with those same words.
Bovine Reproduction
Not just animal husbandry.
The best places to tailor are the summary section and a few spots in the body of
the resume (by changing a word or two and reordering points).
DON’T REWRITE YOUR ENTIRE RESUME. If you tailor every phrase and word,
you may create delays or typos, neither of which is helpful.

21. 16 – Avoiding Reader Overwhelm
The Overgrown Forest Resume
Is your resume too dense to be penetrable?
When the information is “all really important” and not edited, the reader is overwhelmed.
Do you need eight lines to describe work you did 6 years ago? (No.)
Do they care you got a trophy for softball? (Would you, if you saw it?)
Trim the trees for your reader. This is essentially Point 9 again, because it’s so important.

22. 17 – Creating Visual Interest (Focal Points)
Not This
This

23. 18 – Creating Visual Interest (Part 2)
Like art (yes, really), but with a utilitarian purpose
Focal point
Strong use of positive and negative space
Style to match goals
Borders aligned
Judicious use of words
Readable, common font (all systems can read)
Careful use of color (if appropriate)

24. 19 – Doing a Final Check
Print a PDF and read the hard copy.
Put it down and do something else.
Read it again.
Enlist someone else to read it, if you have the opportunity.
Read it aloud, if you have the time.
Scan the beginning and end of every line. Repetitive words? Typos?
Scan the breaks between lines (and the word at which it breaks.)
Print a new PDF and read it again.

25. 20 – Sending It to the Right Audiences
Yep, last point.
Needs to be said.
You have to get it out there.
You would be surprised how many people get 80% of the way
and fail to do that.
A beautiful resume does nothing if not in the hands of the right people.
And not only through online applications.
To hand-chosen audiences.
On task and on time.

26. About Segal Coaching
Anne Marie Segal
Coaching and Writing
Career and Leadership Coaching
Consulting on Networking Strategies
Resume Writing
LinkedIn Profile Writing
Personalized LinkedIn Training
Interview Preparation
Webinars and Group Sessions
Publications (Forbes, book, blog…)

27. Bio and Contact
Anne Marie Segal, JD, CCMC and CPRW
Segal Coaching
Six Landmark Square, 4th Floor
Stamford, CT 06901
www.annemariesegal.com
asegal@segalcoaching.com
+203-274-7734
Anne Marie Segal is a career and leadership coach, author and resume writer for attorneys,
executives and entrepreneurs. As Founder and Principal of Segal Coaching, she has guided
hundreds of professionals and entrepreneurs locally and internationally on career and
business transitions, leadership development, resumes/bios and personal branding.
Anne Marie recently published a comprehensive and well-received workbook on job
interviewing, Master the Interview: A Guide for Working Professionals, writes at Forbes.com
and has been interviewed by CNBC.com and other media outlets. She is a frequent public
speaker and has been engaged to present to the United Nations (ICTY/MICT), University of
Chicago and Association of Corporate Counsel, among other organizations.