Your skills as a project manager are great, but does your resume pass this information on to employers? Here’s how to check.
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You have worked hard to gain experience and establish yourself as a good project manager, and now you are ready to take your career to the next level. The problem is that you are not sure whether your resume will show your hard work effectively to get the job you are looking for. If you can answer the following questions with ‘yes’, your resume might help you play your next role.
SEE: 14 tips to get your resume via a candidate application system (free PDF) (TechRepublic)
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Is your resume current? It sounds like an obvious question, but candidates don’t always update their resumes regularly before being sent to a potential employer.
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Does your resume contain an updated layout that is relevant to your industry? You could use a standard CV format or layout, but why not align your CV with your field? There are many sites such as Indeed, ResumeGenius, Monster, Myperfectresume and more that offer modern and industry-specific layouts. Also ensure that you include all sections, including career goals, skills and achievements, experience and employment history, and training.
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Is your resume concise and clear? Don’t be tempted to put every experience and education in your resume to prove your value – it can work against you. A messy resume can give a bad first impression. You want your CV to be organized and easily readable with sufficient white space.
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Does your CV indicate that you are focused on project management? Make sure that your CV emphasizes project management skills and training. Unless the task requires skills in multiple disciplines, it is important not to appear like a jack of all trades. Stay focused.
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Is your resume correct? Each company has its own culture and tone, and some are more formal than others. Your resume must always be professional, but there may be opportunities to adjust the tone of your resume to the corporate culture. View the website and create your resume based on what’s important for the company. Take into account the vision, culture and task-related or departmental objectives of the company.
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Are your project management performance measurable? Does your resume describe each of your achievements? Do you provide statistics if relevant? Tell employers exactly how you have helped companies with your project management efforts. Be as specific as you can. If you have saved a project from failure, saved costs or something that you think is worth mentioning, include it in your resume. Be careful to maintain confidentiality.
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Would you hire yourself as a project manager based on the layout and content of your CV? If this question makes you pause, it is time to review each question again until you are sure that the answer is a clear and quick “yes.”
The competition for project management roles can be considerable. Your resume must work extremely hard if you stand out. Remember that most recruiters go through dozens of resumes every day, which means that your resume should talk to you the first time. It is your job to ensure that your resume is easy to scan and read, so that the figure is satisfactory.
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