Sure a resume needs to be concise, include all relevant skills and experience, and paint a full picture of who you are as an employee. It goes without saying that it should be error free and organized, with a clean layout. But, if you want to ensure your resume is competitive and engaging in today’s job market, it must include two critical aspects: PAR statements and keyword optimization.

We’ve discussed the importance of keyword optimization and PAR statements in previous blogs, but a resume needs BOTH to be successful. Many job seekers are so focused on one aspect that they miss the other and don’t get traction in their job search.

1. PAR Statements 

PARs are Problem-Action-Result statements that explain the specific problems you faced in a past job, the actions taken to overcome and solve those problems, and the achievements that came as a result of the action you took. Think of your PARs as the stories of the challenges you faced on the job and the steps you took to overcome those challenges to benefit not only yourself, but your company as a whole.

PAR statements are crucial because they define your unique approach to the job and engage a hiring manager or recruiter. PARs help your future employer see how you would perform on the job and also how you would fit into the culture of the organization. Because they focus more on soft skills such as leadership and problem resolution, PARs are often overlooked. But, they help the hiring manager align you with the specific needs of their organization to see if and how you would be the right fit.

It’s easy to get so hung up on making sure you’re talking about your experience and achievements that you aren’t thinking about how a recruiter comes across your resume. That’s where keywords come in.

    2.   Keyword Optimization

According to Mashable, “72% of resumes are never seen by human eyes.” That is because many companies (90% of all Fortune 500 companies) use an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) to screen resumes that are submitted. Essentially, once you submit your resume, it is scanned and stored in a database. Recruiters then search the database to find resumes for a particular job opening by entering in relevant keywords. If your resume has those keywords, it will be picked up by the system. The more matching keywords your resume has, the more likely it is to be seen by the hiring manager.

Because most companies use some sort of ATS, keyword optimization is more important than ever. To ensure your resume passes through an ATS to get seen by a recruiter, follow these keyword optimization tips:

• Use the job posting and description to find keywords the ATS is looking for. Then be sure to sprinkle those words throughout your resume
• Make sure all information in your resume is relevant to the position you are currently applying for
• Keep things concise
• Be sure to list all of your relevant skills, as many hiring managers use an ATS to search for specific skills they are looking for
• Read over your resume carefully for spelling mistakes
• Include your contact information at the top of your resume (for the ATS to pick up)

Still not sure your resume is ATS ready? Check out our tips for preparing your resume for applicant tracking systems.

If you’re still struggling with PAR statements and keyword optimization and need some help getting your resume job search ready, contact Capstone Resume Services today!

Before you can land an interview and impress your future boss in person, you’ll need to impress them on paper. The best way to do that is to showcase your individual approach.

Your resume is your first opportunity to show future employers the kind of person you are, the type of employee you’ll be, and the approach you’ll bring to the position.

To highlight this individual approach in your resume, reflect on your performance in your previous jobs. What were the challenges you tackled? What actions did you take in your role that provided a positive outcome?  How did you specifically contribute to a collective goal?

Including the answers to those questions throughout your resume is much more descriptive to a potential employer than a basic “responsible for” statement.

Responsible For Statements vs. PAR Statements

“Responsible for” statements only highlight what your former employer WANTED you to do, without focusing on what you ACTUALLY DID. Your future employer isn’t interested in simply what you were supposed to do. They want to know what you were able to accomplish and how your company benefited as a result. This is why it’s so important to use PAR statements in your resume.

As we’ve mentioned in previous blogs, PARs are Problem-Action-Result statements that explain certain problems or challenges you faced, the specific actions you took to overcome them, and the positive results (achievements) that came from your actions.

Approach your PARs as mini stories of the problems or challenges you faced in past jobs and how you overcame them to benefit both yourself and your company. Providing a future employer with the context of how and why you achieved your accomplishments is far more valuable than a simple list of your responsibilities.

It’s also important to be as specific as possible when talking about your results. Be sure to quantify your achievements with dollar amounts, percentages, or numbers if possible.

By providing future employers with concrete proof of your achievements and capabilities, you’re not only showing them what you’ve done in the past, but also what you can do for their company in the future.

Define Your Professional Brand

It’s really about defining your brand as a professional.

For example, let’s say the same company, product line, and market had two different CEOs back to back. They had the same responsibilities. However, the results of the company will be different under each leader. Why? Because each CEO brings their own personal approach to the position. They have their own proactive reasoning and their own ideas of how to best mitigate and resolve operational challenges. So, the company will see different results under each leader.

Think about professional positions the same way. Hiring the right engineer, tech manager, or operations director can impact how well that role performs in an organization. Employers know this, and they look for examples of individual approach to find the best talent.

Now you have all the tools you need to successfully define your professional brand for your future employer. If you’re applying for a new job and need additional help crafting your resume, Capstone Resume Services can help!

Whether you need an entry-level resume, executive resume, federal resume, or technology management resume, our Certified Professional Resume Writers will work with you to create a professional resume that’s sure to get you noticed by hiring managers.

We also offer a variety of resume writing services, including cover letter writing, KSA statements, LinkedIn Profile creation, and executive biographies.

Contact Capstone Resume Services today to request a one-on-one resume consultation!