Fatal Resume Mistake...
Mar 06, 2024
Your resume is your ticket to a successful career.
Consider this: every career move you make, your resume is used to convince the employer (and let’s be honest, convince yourself) that you are the best person for the job.
So, what’s the biggest mistake women make when writing a resume?
How to sell themselves!
Unless you have spent hours studying the language used in resumes and critically assessed thousands of them, you'll be unlikely to pick up on the subtleties that hold good women back.
But the impact is huge.
A study of over 200,000 resumes (by University College London) found that 90% of the top 10 words used by men in their resumes are powerful proper nouns and common nouns (i.e. words that “sell you”), compared to only 68% on women’s resumes.
A separate study by Adzuna (a job marketplace) found women are less likely to highlight their achievements and competencies, as compared to men.
This is further confirmed with research (British Medical Journal) finding that articles written by females were up to 21% less likely to use positive terms to frame their research when compared to men.
In short, this means the language you’re using is underselling you and you’re missing out.
Even if you use ChatGPT to help write your resume (yes it will save you time), however AI recognises these differences and shifts the language. If it knows you're a woman, it’s not in your favour.
(I will have a whole other article on the bias in AI but will digress today…)
So, how do you solve this?
In my previous HR role I searched wide and far for solutions, and over time, I developed a comprehensive formula to writing an incredible resume.
This exact formula takes your “good” sounding resume to “incredible” status and those that learn it reap the rewards:
A key component of this formula is what I call “Outcome Driven Statements”, and at its base involves:
Writing about your skills and experience in a specific way that proves to the recruiter that you will be great at the job (even if you don’t have the exact education or experience).
It’s basically word magic.
And once perfected you can influence the recruiter and apply for jobs which have felt previously out of your reach.
Cool, huh?
You might already be doing a version of this in your resume. Adding a few key results and achievements (maybe even some statistics) but they’re probably not moving the dial enough.
If they were, you’d be landing interviews for the roles you’re applying for.
Here’s the thing; how most women write their resumes is like a task list - a series of dot points of “what” you do in your role. What’s missing is “how” you did it, and the “result”.
For example, you might write:
“Lead the planning and implementation of risk management systems, programs and projects”
When you could write:
“Successfully led the development and execution of comprehensive risk management systems, programs, and projects, resulting in significantly enhanced organisational resilience and strategic decision-making”.
Upgrade that language ladies!
This subtle, but significant change in your language doesn’t often come naturally. Nor do you easily find “outcomes” to write about in your role.
If I had a dollar for the amount of women I’ve worked with that said “I don’t have outcomes to write about….”, I’d be wealthier than Taylor Swift. Every single role has a purpose, therefore you can write outcomes.
But I don’t suggest simply running your resume through ChatGPT or you’ll end up with all the common AI language like “spearheaded” and then recruiters know you didn’t write it.
You want “word magic” and that’s where I come in.
If you’re interested in learning how to write a killer resume and land your dream job, I’m hosting a FREE workshop on Thursday 14th March and you can save your seat here:
Register for FREE Dream Job Workshop
I’ll share with you other key mistakes on you’ll need to avoid on your resume, as well as the critical elements that will make your resume really successful.
I leverage many years of experience recruiting for all types of roles, and analyse what makes up a great resume.
And I want you to have all the secrets.
Let’s have every role you apply for get you an interview!