Pongo Resume

You may have heard this before but it's worth repeating: Your resume has only 10 to 15 seconds to grab a hiring manager's attention.

If you assume that's true (we do), then you need to make every one of those seconds count.

The best way to grab a hiring manager's attention is with a headline that effectively "shouts" your value, such as Award-Winning Sales Professional or Graphic Designer with Long List of Satisfied Clients.

By replacing the category title "Professional Summary" or "Summary of Qualifications" (usually found right after your name and contact information at the top of your resume), the headline leads the reader into the highlights of your qualifications and helps you pass the 10-second test. This approach is especially helpful for experienced professionals who have established work credentials.

I admit that I'm a bit biased to the headline approach because of the years I spent as a professional journalist. But there's something about large, bold type that sends the message: "You're gonna want to know more, so read on!" That approach has worked for decades at newsstands, especially tabloids that aim for the front-page shock value a large headline can offer. (One of my favorites is The New York Post's description of a murder in 1983: Headless Body in Topless Bar)

So, what's your headline? Here are three steps you can take to find it:

1. Figure out your strengths. What are the things you do well — better than others who work in similar roles? What skills do you have that the employer wants most in the job? How have you gone above and beyond in your current and previous roles? Your answers may look something like this:

I'm a sales professional with several years of experience in the consumer products industry. I know how to communicate with people, I know the importance of good customer relations, and always check in with my customers in the retail industry to make sure they were satisfied with what we delivered and that their customers were at least equally satisfied. I won several awards for consistently exceeding quarterly sales quotas and for leading all sales associates in winning repeat business. At my last job, they gave me new products to sell and my strategic approach with those new products was so effective that management asked me to conduct a seminar for new product sales for the entire sales division. The seminar was well received and earned me a commendation from the CEO.

2. Now, write your full professional summary. Once you answer those questions, convey that information in 75 words or less. Here's one based on the above example:

Award-winning sales professional with several years of experience in the consumer products industry and strong track record of exceeding quarterly sales quotas. Highly effective at creating and maintaining good customer relations and generating repeat business. Proven ability to communicate sales tactics and strategies to other professionals through strong presentation skills.

3. Finally, write your headline. Take the editor's approach. What's the central theme of your story and what jumps out at the reader? Here are some examples and how each might be appropriate:

• Award-Winning Sales Professional — This is one that can attract just about anyone looking for a sales professional.
• Experienced Consumer Products Sales Professional — If the job is in the same industry, this is more specific and more effective than #1.
• Sales Pro Dedicated to Longstanding Customers — This approach could be effective if the job ad stresses the importance of keeping customers.
• Sales Pro Keeps Customers Coming Back — This is similar to #3, but the way it's worded can be attractive to a company that has ambitious growth plans and wants to build a strong base of customers.

The most important thing to remember about using a headline is to address the employer's "pain." If your headline hints that you understand that pain and will give them what they need to alleviate it (and your summary backs it up with more detail), you'll stand out. Put it right in front of their faces so they don't have to go searching for it.

Have you used a headline approach in your resume? How did it work for you?

RELATED LINKS

Resume Writing Basics: Building Blocks of a Good Resume
Resume Objective or Summary: You Need One, but Which?
Build Your Resume Like a Newspaper

You pose a provocative question. The headline approach is tough for first-time job seekers. It might even be better to forgo the headline approach until you have established work credentials.

But if you like the idea, the key is, again, to focus on your strengths and how those strengths might fit in with the employer. Let's take the case of a non-profit and assume that the applicant is fresh out of college with a degree in business management, and with a concentration in operations management.

The position is Assistant Director of Operations, reporting to the Director of Operations. The applicant has internship experience in the operations department of a mid-size services company, as well as part-time work experience that involved some operations management, say, shift supervisor at a restaurant. That's the experience you want to play up, even though it isn't extensive. Your headline options? Try this:

* "Organizational Operations Specialist" -- The person has legitimate work experience and no doubt picked up lots of pointers on the way that will help him in the role he's seeking.

If you have no related experience, you could highlight your personal traits (e.g., self-starting, energetic, hard-working, go-getter, etc.) but that might sound a bit trite and the employer might see it as subjective rather than based on fact.

Hope this helps! ~ Rick

In my limited experience, highlighting personal traits is appropriate and even effective when applying for a non-profit/social services job where heavy emphasis is placed on interpersonal skills and the focus is more people-oriented than profit-oriented.

What sort of headliner or Summary of Qualifications would I use in this situation?

Thanks for your question. I can't come up with a headline because I need more information. To start: What skills have you accumulated over the last 10 years that would apply to the kind of work you're seeking? What kind of jobs are you looking at?

~ Rick

As far as what field I'm looking at, I would consider another executive administrative position, or a management position in events/meetings.

Thanks for your help with this!

* Experienced Administrative Assistant * Experienced Office Manager * Experienced, Multi-Tasking Administrator

Based on what you tell me, the word "experienced" shines through. If the job ad mentions "multi-tasking" or "must handle several projects simultaneously" (or something similar) and mentions it prominently, I'd seriously consider the 3rd option.

Hope this helps! ~ Rick

Kiran

I'd need to know more about what you've accomplished over the last two years. But, based on what you wrote, here are two possibilities that come to mind:

* Recruitment Professional * Recruitment Specialist

That may not be enough to catch the eye of someone hiring for a management role. But if you have some managerial experience, there may be some way to weave that in.

~ Rick

Prior to the recruitment role, i was working part time as a weekend supervior for shoe zone, following which i was a sales and service specialist for high fashion and elite world duty free store. I do not want to continue in recruitment, well not sales recruitment. Any ideas?

* Sales, Customer Service Manager * Retail Industry Manager (if you're aiming for something in the retail world).

~ Rick

Sounds like Experienced Administrator or Experienced Manager can work. What do you think?

~ Rick

I am in my mid-40s and have 15 years of senior-level marketing experience. I am making a career change...back to school after 25 years to get a Master of Education so that I can be a high school teacher. I completed a 4-month practicum in a high school. I am passionate about finding unique ways to merge technology (Web 2.0/Social Networking) with subject content in the classroom. Potential employees look for teachers who can create individualized programs for students with special needs, who create a classroom environment that recognizes diversity, and who are life-long learners.

With so much competition to even get an interview with a school board (the boards receive over 4,000 resumes a year), I need an amazing headline that shows my competitive advantage (to me, that would be the 15 years marketing, and the technology knowledge/interest).

I very much appreciate your suggestions.

* Experienced instructor with MBA * Experienced teacher and manager

The fact that it's a corporate training position tells me you need at least one of these words -- teacher, trainer, instructor -- in the headline.

Hope this helps - and good luck! ~ Rick

* Experienced Health-Care Professional * (Insert speciality, such as Cardiac or Renal) Care Specialist

Use the best combination of words that will grab the hiring manager's interest. Aim at what *they* are looking for.

* IT Support and Maintenance Professional * Experienced IT Support Pro

Then you can cite your 10 years of work in the school district. But be sure to address any key skills that stand out and that you can support later in your resume with specific accomplishments. For example: "Supported a wide network that encompassed six sites and covered 250 users in administrative and classroom functions. Developed and executed training of 200 teachers on new web-based grade-recording system."

Hope this helps!

I would first like to thank you for publishing such helpful stuff. I am very much convenienced by your headline approach.

I am facing difficulty to make a headline for me as I don't have much work experience (Just 2 months internship and 6 months as a professional RF engineer). Actually After completing my Bachelor in Telecom engineering, I worked as RF engineer in a small company. Then I came in Sweden for Masters in Radio communication (part of telecom area). I am also about to finish my Masters in Project Management and Operational development.

What kind of heading would be best for me?

Thanks again for your help.

Best Regards Tahir Mehmood.

Leo Godwin colon.godwin@yahoo.com

I am trying to write a headliner for my resume and having a diffucult time of it.REZ SCORE said I needed one after grading my resume I scored a B-. Anyway my challenge is this, I have 15 years Quality Control Technician, 15 years OTR trucking nationwide'and 2 years sales and marketing. Trucking was my last job. I must make a career change now. Been out of work for 10 months. My skills are communications, leadership, problem solving and teamwork. How is the best way to get a headliner out of such diverse experience and crossover skills?

Thank you for your time. Rezscore is a great company and you are as well.

Regards,

Leo colon.godwin@yahoo.com

I am a recent graduate with CIMA-Management accounting qualification, with 2months internship experience. I am seeking a Management accounting position but so far been unable to write an eye-catching HEADLINE.

Please suggest me one.

Unfortunately, I was downsized when the last company I worked for went under and that was in 2002. Since then, I became a realtor until last year when that became overbearing with all the banking issues, although I was successful and enjoyed the business for the first 5 years.

I have many skills in all different levels, I am a great organizer, multi tasker, communicator, trainer, back office expert kind of person all the skills that it seems job descriptions are asking for.

What could I use as a headliner? I have changed my resume around so many times so as to look like a complete package rather than chronilogical and stressed that I could be an asset within many areas of business.

I am now approaching 55 (or double nickels as a friend just told me), but I am still current in my knowlege, appearance and outlook.

Thanks,