The job market is extremely competitive. Marketing jobs are on the rise. The need for exceptional people to fill the openings is projected to increase ten percent, or more, over the next decade. These statistics come straight from the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics.

I am often asked about working in the field of marketing. The most pressing question is usually, how do you get yourself seen over the rest of the competition?

The answer is, when you’re on the job hunt, is your resume. Your resume is the first thing that makes an impression on hiring managers. A resume must pop out to them, otherwise, you will not even get to the interview stage.

5 Ways To Make Your Marketing Resume Stand Out

 

However simple it may seem, many job seekers often scatter the same boring resume to every company they approach, omitting the very things that could get them to the first round of interviewing. Before you send out that next resume, ensure it includes these five ways to make yourself stand apart.

Sell Yourself

A resume is not just a piece of paper that lists your work information. It is a sales letter. Your goal is to sell yourself to the human resources manager, or whomever is the first line of hiring.

If they get bored within the first section of it, one of two things will happen. They will either set it aside or read it without retaining it. You are the focal point of the sheet of paper, or the computer screen. Make them take a second look by capturing their attention.

Research, Then Focus

Your audience will change for each job that you apply to. Find out who they are. Before handing in a resume, do some research. Who is the hiring manager? What type of people work there? What is the company’s main focus and mission? Figure out who you are applying for and modify your resume to highlight the attributes that best match them.

When showcasing your expertise and experience, be sure to include applicable certifications and education. Do you have a marketing DBA degree? Do you hold a niche-specific certification? Make sure your background stands out among the competition.

Keyword Relevancy

You should know what type of company that you are applying for, so cater to them. Use keywords and phrases throughout your resume, particularly in the experience section. Use terminology that they use. Highlight your qualities and strongest skills that are  most likely catch their attention.

For instance, you may excel in writing up plans. However, if the position you are applying for needs videos done, you will not want to point out your writing skills.

Business Links

If you have professional profiles, websites, or even professional social media accounts, add a useable link on your resume. If you’ve been featured in relevant publications, be sure to include those as well. Check all links to make sure they are typed correctly. They must be business-related, and not geared towards your personal life. If you do not have any, take time to create a LinkedIn or digital professional portfolio.

Guidelines

Follow all basic resume guidelines. Keep it to one page. Place a heading on top. Followed by your skills, then education, and highlight any other pertinent information. Do not use any fancy formatting. Use bullet points. Keep it basic and easy for anyone to read. When done, proofread it a couple of times. When you are finished, proofread it again. If you can get someone else to proofread it for you, even better!

Final Thoughts

Managers are extremely busy throughout their days. They do not want to spend any of their time thoroughly reading through every resume that they get. Most of them they will glance at, and then set aside. If they do read it all the way through, they will glance through the bullet points. If those bullets catch their attention, they will read it more in-depth, and retain your name for the next step. Keep your bullet points short and to the point. A sentence is better than a paragraph. Use bold print to make the main point stand out.

If you have not had any experience in the marketing field you will want to start your resume off with your education, rather than your job experience. You will still want to list your skills at the very top, using bullet points and highlighting the areas that will be most important to them.

Your resume should be designed to sell yourself. Do your homework and know who you are applying to, and what the position requires. Tweak your resume each time for each different company. Never use a generic resume that shows that no effort was put into it.

Ciao,
Miss Kemya