Hard-working, results-oriented project manager with 10+ years experience in the computer manufacturing field.
Is this similar to the opening line on your resume? If so, then keep reading, my friend. Your resume needs you to know what I’m going to say.
It’s pretty common to see resumes that start with “fluff” words like hard-working, dedicated, results-oriented, etc. When recruiters read this, I imagine they think, “You better be hard working, dedicated and results-oriented if I’m going to consider you for this job.” or “I wonder… if you weren’t all these things, would your company have kept you on the payroll for all those years?” (Not hard for me to imagine since this is what I thought when I was a recruiter!)
On the other hand, it’s not fluff if real value is attached – if the resume demonstrates HOW the job candidate is hard-working or dedicated. Occasionally, I’ll see a sprinkling of results, which proves the claim to be results-oriented, but for the most part, these traits are usually arbitrarily thrown up there at the top of the resume.
Wasted real estate is what this is… Like a beautiful corner lot in a thriving business district becoming overgrown with weeds. The top of the resume is where you make your first impression – it is the resume’s most valuable real estate.
Here’s how to distinguish yourself from the hundreds of other applicants applying for the same job:
- Start with a strong entry line. I call this the positioning statement. Make a powerful first impression with your positioning statement.
- By all means, include adjectives, but put them later in your summary section after you state your role.
- Don’t include adjectives without providing proof to substantiate those adjectives. You do this with accomplishment statements later in the resume.
A better beginning: Project Manager with 10+ years experience in the computer manufacturing field. Proven commitment to doing what it takes to meet or exceed expectations. Adept at producing results in…