My name is Alan De Back and I am thrilled to be a guest writer on IWCC’s BLOG and share my expertise in resume writing.

Since joining IWCC as an Associate Consultant in 2001, I have facilitated IWCC writing skills training, presentation skills training and meeting skills training workshops to hundreds of business professionals across North America.

As a career counsellor for over 20 years, I’ve constantly worked with my clients to make sure their resume is the best marketing tool possible. Too many of my clients view their resumes as a dry autobiography of everything they’ve ever done instead of a dynamic means of selling themselves to a potential employer. Your resume is the primary way a prospective employer will make the decision to bring you in the door for an interview, so why bore them with useless trivia?

Value of “Active” Language

IWCC teaches the value of writing in an active versus a passive format. Writing in an active format goes a long way towards making your resume the dynamic marketing tool that you want it to be.  Consider this section from a resume written in a passive format:

• Data analysis was completed on complex financial reports. This resulted in identification of budget savings of over 15%

Compare that to this section written in an active format:

• Analyzed data from complex financial reports resulting in over 15% budget savings.

By starting with an “action verb,” the writer of the second example delivered the same message in a more concise, easier to understand format.

The Results Factor

Most employers in this tough job market are looking for results and accomplishments. Your resume, written in an active format using action verbs, delivers the strong message that you are results oriented. Using “responsible for” and listing a litany of activities shows only that you can outline all the activities you perform. The difference is between “activities” and “results.” As a famous hamburger commercial asked back in the 1980’s, “Where’s the beef?”

Alan’s book “Get Hired in a Tough Market: Insider Secrets for Finding and Landing the Job You Need Now” is available on Amazon.

Visit Alan’s Website. 

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In our first two BLOGs of this series we introduced you to IWCC’s personal SWOT Analysis approach. You focused on your strengths in Step one and your weaknesses in Step two. In Step three, you need to open your mind to all the Opportunities and Threats that lie in wait for you every day.

S trengths
W eaknesses
O pportunities &
T hreats

You must manage your personal Opportunities and Threats!  Have opportunities to build your brand slipped away because you didn’t see them?  Has a threat ever sabotaged you – a threat that you could have eliminated if you had only paid attention earlier? Stop now and take full control of you…so that you can make choices rather than react to consequences.

Here’s what you need to do:

Opportunities

1. List the opportunities you see for yourself where you could make use of your strengths and weaknesses.  Include opportunities you see from the trends that are going on around you.  What can you take advantage of now and in the future to work toward your goals?  Remember, don’t analyze as you think.
2. Brainstorm!  Do not condemn criticize or complain at this point.  (Opportunities may be hidden behind something you are looking at negatively.)
3. Verify each opportunity by going back over your list.
4. Develop a plan of action.  What will you actively do to pursue each opportunity on your list?  Be specific with your plans.

Threats

1. List the things that pose a threat to you reaching your goals.  In particular, what threats can get in the way of you growing your brand and furthering your career? These threats can be self-imposed (i.e. some of your weaknesses), or they may be issues rising from the culture or environment in your organization and other factors external to you.
2. Brainstorm!  Do not condemn, criticize or complain at this point.
3. Verify that each threat is really there, by going back over your list.
4. Develop a plan of action. What specific steps will you take to either eliminate or minimize the threat?  (Remember, some threats when turned around become opportunities.)

Now What?

Now when people ask you what your strengths are, you can speak with confidence and strategy. When they ask you about your weaknesses, you can explain what they are and proudly present the plan you have in place to deal with them. Most importantly, you will capitalize on your opportunities and evade threats to keep that brand called YOU front and center.  

Now you have completely SWOTed yourself. Feels good doesn’t it!