Call me crazy but I think that resumes — good ones — tell wonderful stories. They may not be as soothing as bedtime fables or take you on exhilarating rides like plot-driven novels. But they do offer insight into people’s lives.
Everyone’s career has been crafted job-by-job based on the choices they made along the way. Maybe your first job was delivering newspapers to neighbors on a three-speed bicycle. The experience prompted you to work at a bike shop during college. When you graduated, you held a supervisory position, which suited you perfectly until you slipped out of the workplace to start a family. Years later, you advocated for bicycle lanes on public roads, and soon your background in management and passion for biking opened up a new vocation in nonprofit administration.
Since this saga begins with your first job, it provides too much detail for a powerful resume or online profile. Even so, I recommend that you give employers some insight into your personal story. Focus on recent, relevant facts as you highlight the arc of your career.
Why will this help? Because employers don’t merely search for job candidates who will bring dollar-sign value to their businesses. They also look for people who would be interesting to work with on a daily basis. If you add a touch of humanity to your document, it can help you get through the door.
If you don’t know your story, look back 10 or 15 years. What inspired you to pursue your path? How did one job lead to the next? Your job sequence may be haphazard (perhaps you accepted the first decent-paying position that came along). Or you might have an intriguing tale to tell.
Here is an example of a story that can strengthen a resume. Recently, I worked with an executive who was the youngest person in his company to open and run a franchise. He broke a few sales records, purchased a second location and produced similar results at the new store. His performance captured the attention of corporate managers, who promoted him to franchise business consultant. Three promotions later, he presently oversees all company and franchise operations while creating new products for the national organization.
Why does this story belong in his resume? It shows employers that they aren’t dealing with a typical executive. This guy’s ambition would knock most people to the curb. And his experience includes everything from cleaning the floors of his franchises to developing corporate strategic plans.
In his resume, I showcased the evolution of his career by creating a clear chronology, placing job titles in an eye-catching location and making his promotions leap off the page. I also inserted an italicized statement beneath the header of each position, like this: “XYZ Company, Franchise Owner and Operator — Built a reputation as the youngest person in company history to open a franchise. Produced record-breaking sales results and opened a second location within one year.” I used this strategy for all of his jobs so that employers could trace the through-line from store owner to corporate executive.
If you have an interesting career progression, use it to your advantage. Make employers visualize the passion, initiative and real-world solutions that you bring to the table.
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