We have covered various resume topics throughout my time here at TurfNet. This time around I’d like to look at a somewhat different angle. Usually I recommend that you have a professionally built website and portfolio to complement your resume. But for this blog, let’s consider how you can use just a resume, nothing else, and still garner attention from employers.
It’s not ideal, but if you are in a jam and haven’t had your materials built, here are five things that are critical to include if you are only applying with a resume:
1. Add a Headline or Header Image.
This goes along with my article last month about sending the application email properly so your “brand” is noticed and stands out among the competition. If I were only using a resume (no website or portfolio), I would add this same header image to the very top of my resume. As a reminder, you should hire out this header image to a professional because its too critical to DIY it.
Using a headline at the top of the resume is a great tool as well…
Using a headline at the top of the resume is a great tool as well. Instead of just listing “Qualifications” as your first section, consider using something like: “Turfgrass Excellence with Financial Efficiency”. Also consider adjusting your job titles to be more compelling like a headline. Instead of listing Golf Course Superintendent, switch it up to “Superintendent – Course Conditions Expert”.
2. Put Your Most Important Information at the Top.
Reading a PDF resume is no different than reading a website or newspaper. The stuff at the top gets the first look and most attention. Don’t waste it on an Objective or your Education, they aren’t nearly as important. Instead use it for 4 or 5 key statements about you and your career that differentiate you from the competition. These shouldn’t be complex sentences, just short and to the point using as many action words as you can. By keeping this short, you can then list your current work experience towards the top of the page as well.
3. Ditch All the General Bullet Points.
You do not need to list your job responsibilities. All of your competition have the same ones; total waste of valuable space on a resume. Instead, only include bullet points in your experience that actually differentiate you from that competition. What have you done better than peers? Have you saved the club money? Gained memberships? These are far more critical than responsibilities and you don’t want them lost in a wall of text from too many bullet points.
You do not need to list your job responsibilities. All of your competition have the same ones; total waste of valuable space on a resume…
4. Keep Your Experience Recent.
I know, it seems counter-intuitive to cut content if you are only applying with a resume. But a lengthy resume just creates reader fatigue in this initial part of the application. You have time during the interview process to go into more detail. This listing of every single work history on the resume is not going to make a positive difference in getting a closer look.
So, limit listing your experience for the last 10-15 years, or the 2-3 best clubs if you have been at the same place a while. There’s no rule you have to list dates of employment so it doesn’t have to fill in every date in time. Just list your time at the club like this: “3 Years of Tenure”.
5. Consider an Online Supplement.
If you just can’t possibly cut your content enough to keep the resume around one page, you can link to something online. This article is focusing on not having a website, so a possible solution to this is having an expanded resume saved on your Google Drive or Dropbox. It’s easily sharable and viewable on any device from one link. Simply add some text like “Deep Dive into My Career” or “Expanded Career Highlights” and link out to your file. Then if someone really does want to see more information at this stage, they can.
These tips are essential if you don’t have a website yet (you should in our industry). While it’s nowhere near as effective as a website, it’s better than nothing and should really help in your application. Good luck!
