If you are thinking about writing your own resume to reflect the experience, accomplishments, and other critical information that has helped shape your career in loss prevention instead of using a professional career or resume writing service then you need to do your homework. Having a resume that appropriately describes all that you’ve accomplished while sending the message that you wish to portray as a professional is a critical aspect of any loss prevention job search, and it is important to get it right.
Unfortunately, many of the current tools and resume templates that are currently available through online resources are very much outdated, and finding the right tools that characterize your career in loss prevention and the opportunities that best meet your professional needs can be a daunting task.
When asked—which is quite often—my advice is that you should hire a certified professional resume writer just like you do for many professional services that you pay for currently. However, if you still prefer writing it yourself then there is a lot to consider. Here are a few areas to think about:
Objective Statements vs Qualifications Summary: Turn the typical self-serving objectives statement into a qualifications summary by showcasing your relevant experience. This will allow you to provide an executive overview of your resume which will capture the reader’s interest, maintain their desire to review the rest of your resume, and hopefully schedule an interview. Think of it as your 5-minute elevator pitch and the best way to establish your personal brand to effectively market yourself.
Using Keywords: A recent study conducted by Ladders.com revealed that recruiters will typically spend only around 6 seconds on average reviewing your resume. So how do you stand out from the crowd— and more importantly the average resume, in order to build your career in loss prevention and get the job that you’re truly looking for? One way to stand out is by using keywords that describe your actual experience within your resume in a way that is tailored to the job description of the loss prevention job that you are applying for. Using keywords appropriately will get you noticed, which should help lead to an interview. Once that is accomplished, the rest is up to you!
Resume Format: Your resume should be written in a clear and concise format with bold highlighting where appropriate including bullet points. Try to keep it to one page, but never more than two. Make sure that you check it for spelling and grammatical errors. Grammatical mistakes are an immediate turn-off because you can easily check your document yourself. Not taking this simple step shows a lack of attention to detail and your resume will likely end up on the bottom of the pile.
Be sure to include an established track record of results and go beyond what your job description states. What value did you add beyond what was expected? Create a section such as ‘Notable Accomplishments’ or ‘Key Accomplishments’. All hiring managers and recruiters are interested in seeing what you’ve accomplished during your loss prevention career, and listing them in a way that highlights your professional achievements could lead to an interview. Additionally, you should take the steps to integrate some of your key accomplishments as part of your qualifications summary.
Securing an Interview: The objective of a well-written, concise, and well-formatted resume is to get the interview that will lead to a job offer. You can increase those odds by mirroring your resume on your LinkedIn profile and other online resources. Don’t forget to add recommendations from both your current and previous employers, and include your contact information. LinkedIn is the number one source where LP industry recruiters and hiring managers will find you, so leverage this awesome resource as a way to market yourself and find the loss prevention job that you’ve been looking for. The best part is that it is free. Finally, should you decide to include a photograph as part of your LinkedIn profile then it should be a professional image and not one that you would use on Facebook.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
The post Writing the Perfect Resume to Reflect Your Career in Loss Prevention appeared first on LPM.