By Julius Choudhury
When it comes to writing a killer resume, most advice guides state that your experience section is the most important. And, there’s no denying that many managers look here before reading the rest of your resume. But, we think there’s a strong argument against the experience section being the most vital of all.
When you break it down, you may come to find that your personal profile holds that mantel. This section, more than any other, has the ability to boost your professional success in the long-term. Remember that, when they take you on, employers aren’t investing in your experience. They’re putting money into you. And, they’re trusting that there’s a place for you in their team.
By putting your focus on the personal section of your resume, you may find that an employer is even willing to look past patchy experience history. In fact, if you’ve been struggling to land an interview so far, this may well be what’s holding you back.
Sadly, it can take too long to realize this when we’re busy worrying about the wrong thing. That’s why you should put your experience section down for a while. Instead, consider these pressing reasons why your personal profile deserves more attention.
Building that personal connection
We had to start here. When you write a decent personal profile, you create a personal connection with an employer before you meet them. Never underestimate how vital that can be for securing an interview. Note, too, that this isn’t always a benefit you’ll get from your experience section. You will, after all, likely be one of hundreds of applicants with the same experience. While that section is crucial for getting your foot through the door, then, your personal profile secures your seat at the table. This is where your resume will differ from all those other identical applications. If you focus on finding the balance between professional and personal, this could put you at the top of the list before interviews start. Remember that employers are only human when it comes down to it. They’re looking for employees with whom they can form decent working relationships. Employment experience won’t tell them anything about that. But, a personal profile with prowess can establish a connection from the off.
Showing your place in any company
Along the same lines, a personal profile will give you a chance to show where you would fit into any given company. This is especially if, as you should aim to do, you rewrite it for every application. Admittedly, your experience section can provide that initial boost up here. Showing where you’ve worked before gives some idea of the environments you’re used to. Your level in each company also provides some indication of how well you work in a team etc. But, you won’t be able to elaborate on any of that necessary information if you neglect your personal profile. This is, after all, where you can expand on who you are/what you’re like. It’s your chance to express how well you work in a team. You may even want to provide brief examples of how your personality has fit in past workplaces. Hard sale aside, your personal profile, in general, will outline your personality traits. When worded well, these will ensure that any manager will be able to imagine you on their staff. If you know that an employer is looking for a front-runner, you could push your managerial talents and extroversion. If they’re looking for a more amicable team member, you could promote your ability to work in a team and follow orders. This is all stuff which you can’t fit into your experience section. Yet, it’ll all help towards securing your place in the interview line up.
Revealing your motivation
When many people apply for the same role, the smallest things make the most difference. You may find that using your personal profile to express your application motivation gives you an edge. Again, this is information which is often sadly lacking from resumes, and it can see them straight in the bin. An employer will want to see, straight away, why you’ve chosen their company in particular. If you gloss over this information, it can seem like your applications is a blanket attempt to get anywhere. And, that’s not going to make you all that appealing. By using your personal profile to show your motivation to that company, though, you stand a much better chance. For the most part, this will take the form of showing how your past experiences have fueled your desire. It may be that you have a history of using this company and would love to be a part of it. Or, perhaps you’re like Cynthia Telles, and your early experiences started you on this career path. Either way, mentioning these small personal details is the ideal way to show motivation. You may even wish to mention that you’re following in a family member’s footsteps. It doesn’t matter. The point is that revealing your motivation proves that you aren’t applying just anywhere. It shows why you care about that company, and why they could benefit from caring about you, too.
Selling your unofficial skills
Most of the time, we have more skills than those provided by our career experience. It may be that we’ve volunteered in applicable roles. Perhaps we have an out-of-work hobby which could take our resumes that bit further. Either way, these are things which you may struggle to fit into a standard experience section. As your career progresses, you’ll find that even fitting applicable job roles there will be a challenge. This is when your personal profile can come into its own. Remember that, in positions with set experience requirements, your job achievements may not be anything unusual. But, mentioning hobbies or volunteer positions which are also relevant will be far more unique. The fact that you’re pursuing these in your own time is also a real plus point. As mentioned above, it shows that all-important motivation and passion. That’s something which not every resume will be able to express. Of course, you need to keep your wits about you here. Including details of every personal hobby isn’t going to work out for you. But, making sure to include past times and outside skills with some relevance is a sure way to success.
Projecting your long-term goals
When an employer invests in a new member of their team, they’re always thinking in the long-term. The last thing they want is to waste time and money on another employment drive after you leave a few months later. As such, expressing your long-term desires in a given industry can work wonders. Like motivation, this proves that you’re serious and have thought about your application. On a more fundamental level, it also shows them that you’re a low-risk investment. If they’re sure that you want to progress within their industry, an employer can rest easy that you’re planning to stick around. That’s far better than someone else who focuses on experience but fails to mention their plans anywhere. Again, though, your personal profile is the only chance that you have to include this information. Of course, coming straight out and saying ‘I want to be boss’ isn’t going to get you anywhere. But, subtle allusions like a desire to find an environment you feel settled in, or a hope to progress to in small stages will work well. Bear in mind that you need to mean these statements. Any employer in their right mind will hone in on points like these in your interview.
Opening unseen opportunities
On some occasions, an employer may feel like you would be an asset, but not in the position you’ve applied for. This happens often and is typically a result of a successful interview which didn’t entirely secure a position. Sometimes, though, an employer will consider you for another roll from your resume alone. And, when that happens, they’ll go off nothing more than the personal profile on your resume. That’s our last, and perhaps best reason for putting plenty of effort into this. Of course, it can be disheartening not to get a role you apply for. But, it’s almost more flattering for an employer to cherry pick you for another position. In some cases, it may even be because they see potential in you outside your current application. But, none of this would be possible if you piled all your effort into your experience section. Instead, you need to paint a fleshed out idea of your skills and overall personality. Only then can you even hope to open unseen opportunities like these. Who knows; this could be your way into an altogether better part of the same company.
Writing a personal profile isn’t easy. You have to do far more here than merely listing your career history or qualifications. But, as you can see from the benefits mentioned, this section can take you far, so it’s well worth a little extra effort.
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