It may seem odd that someone at my career point ( 39+ years of a business career and "retired" as of Feb 2024) would pass along advice about resume building. While admittedly a bit out of norm, I have had a number of experiences over the past few months that has brought this topic into sharp relief. A number of "young friends" ( no names in this essay, but all under 30 and all focused intently on job searches) have been working to apply to a myriad of jobs, all posted on line, and working to have their resume cut through the crowded online ( and often Linked In) landscape.
A few of these "friends" have applied to roles where there are literally hundreds of others who have applied for the same job on-line... think about it... trying to have your resume "fight" its way to the top of that list.... no small feat! I am proud to say that a number of these "friends" have actually worked their way through that crazy landscape and have landed offers, roles, and key interviews for some very exciting companies/roles... and all have worked hard to make their resumes really work hard in that challenging competitive world. With these examples in mind, I want to pass along two thoughts that may be helpful as you work to "optimize your resume."
"Remember "D/P/A:
A number of years ago I posted an essay focused on branding and brand differentiation. This essay, titled "D/P/A: a model for Marketplace Differentiation," ( you can find it by typing "Differentiation" into the search function at the left on homepage of this blog) was focused on the three key principles of brand differentiation that I was taught in my early marketing roles at The Coca Cola Company. For a brand to compete, thrive and grow in a competitive marketplace, a marketer needed to remember the following three concepts, captured in the acronym "D/P/A:"
D: “Distinctive:” the job of the marketer was to work ceaselessly to find “distinctive” insights/concepts/messages/images to break through that clutter and create a “distinctive” spot in the landscape. Your job with your brand was to ensure that you were NOT the same as other offerings ... you were competing against "sameness," not just Pepsi, Dr. Pepper, etc. This concept must be translated to you and your resume in the same way... how are you distinctive ...what parts of your backgound, education or work experiences make you truly unique?? Your job is to ensure that those elements come to life in your resume as job #1.
P: “Preferred.” When I say, “preferred”, I mean that we need to be “preferred” vs. competitive alternatives by the “core user” and the “primary shopper/purchaser” for our business/brand. Put yourself in the hiring manager's shoes and ask yourself... what are they looking for?? what do they need?? what candidate/resume would be preferred by them?? All of these questions are key as you think about your resume and your need to "tailor" it to each new role. Each resume you post for each job needs to be edited/adjusted/optimized to try to be "preferred" for the role in question.
A: Advantaged. This final element pushes us to look at then entire “value chain” for a brand/business, to insure that we have a brand that is “advantaged” vs. competition. How are you and your resume "advantaged" vs the other folks (potentially hundreds) also competing for that same role
Use the "D/P/A" model as you work to optimize your resumes ... I know it will help you be a stronger candidate and cut thought the competitive clutter. While I recommend this model as a key foundation for stronger resumes, it means nothing if it fails to get through the "ATS" filter!
"Remember ATS"
ATS, or "Applicant Tracking System" is a AI powered tool used by a growing majority of hiring companies to manage the interview/hiring process. A recent post on "Jobscan" described it as:
What is an ATS?
An ATS is a computer software program that manages the hiring process. It does this by collecting and sorting thousands of resumes. Hiring managers can then screen candidates using the ATS, as well as track their progress through the hiring process. By digitizing the hiring process in this way, an ATS saves employers time and money.
Here is link to a video that gives some great advice in this space:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jQwXfsOds4. This reality that an "ATS" AI powered tool will do the first screening of your resume REQUIRES you to ensure that your resume not only works in ATS, but tells YOUR "D/P/A" story in the ATS landscape. I had an unusual experience personally in this area that brought this idea to life.
Now that I am "retired" from Bolthouse Farms, I am getting calls to do some consulting...which on the whole is great! For one client, a global consulting firm, I had to upload my bio into their portal as part of their onboarding process. I didn't think much about that process until I was asked to "check" to see if their "ATS" tool had captured my bio accurately. To my shock and concern, it was ALL WRONG! I didn't receive my MBA from The College of Wooster ( that was a BA from Wooster, and an MBA from Vanderbilt) and my last job WASN'T as Chief Customer Officer for Kimberly Clark ( where I worked as a Marketing Assistant from 1985-1987, and I am proud to say that my last role was as President and Chief Operating Officer of Bolthouse Farms! ) The reality is that it didn't matter what my bio was TRYING to show, all that mattered was what the ATS tool did in reality show. Use the advice in the video above, or one of the tools (below)that were featured in a May 2024 blog essay on "Zapier" to help you build a strong, "D/P/A" driven resume that ROCKS through an ATS portal!!
Teal for tracking multiple job applications
Enhancv for building with an AI assistant
Kickresume for generating a resume from scratch
Resume Worded for leveraging your LinkedIn profile
ResumeNerd for adapting your resume as you browse jobs
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