A personal branding statement and your resume

Take a look at your resume. What do you think? Will it pique enough interest from a recruiter or hiring manager in a 6 second scan to move you into the yes pile, or will it land in the “thanks but no thanks” pile?

As a former recruiter who has received thousands of resumes, I wish I could tell you that there are things you can do to guarantee placement into that yes pile, but that’s not how it works. Hiring is subjective. What one recruiter thinks is a must, another may deem unnecessary. There are some elements that are accepted fairly universally such as a readable layout, correct spelling, and proper grammar, but in the end they way someone evaluates your resume depends on his or her own unique criteria that is based on experience, company priorities, and industry demands.

When hiring managers screen your resume, they are looking for reasons not to hire you. Why is that? An open position may solicit hundreds, if not thousands, of applicants. Hiring managers need to eliminate candidates in order to find the best of the best; those that seem to be a fit initially and will move forward in the hiring process. When I was hiring, the best candidates seemed to rise to the top as we moved through screening and evaluation process because the majority of applicants didn’t seem qualified (or if they were they didn’t communicate it effectively), or made mistakes on their application materials. It’s just how it worked.

One way to attract the attention of a hiring manager is to offer a personal branding statement that shows how you can bring value to that company. The majority of hiring managers I know believe the objective statement on a resume is a thing of the past. If you replace that objective statement with a great branding statement, it can really help your cause. A good personal branding statement will communicate your values, passions, skills, achievements, expertise, and what sets you apart from your competitors who are vying for the same position. It should be brief and powerful.

There is a major advantage to presenting a personal branding statement as opposed to an objective. You have the opportunity to show potential employers what you have to offer them, as opposed to what you want from them.

Why is that important? Companies seek employees who will not only perform duties related to the position, but also help the organization thrive. They are looking for the candidate that will bring the most value to the position. The personal branding statement is a great way to showcase your candidacy in a format that will open the door to a conversation about how you can contribute to the company and help them achieve their goals and objectives.

An effective personal branding statement can help get you into that yes pile. From there you’ll need to back it up it to prove your value and illustrate how you are the best candidate for the job!