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{Nine West Blazer, H&M Dress & Belt, Vintage Bally Handbag via eBay, Jessica Simpson Shoes, Forever 21 Necklace & Earrings, Lyric Culture Bracelets, Gucci Sunglasses}

I came this close to wearing the matching skirt that goes with this blazer.  But as usual, I just couldn’t bring myself to wear an actual suit to work.

The day that I wore this ensemble I was out having lunch with a few business colleagues, and we got to talking about the hiring process and how difficult it can be to find good candidates.  We all came to the conclusion that sifting through resumes was pretty bo-ring –  mostly because they all start to look the same after a while.  So for the benefit of all you job-hunters out there, I thought I’d share two quick resume tips from Guerilla Marketing for Job-Hunters that I used to land my current gig.

TIP #1

If you currently have an objective statement at the top of your resume that reads something to the effect of “Highly motivated, results-driven professional seeking to obtain a position at XYZ Corp. where I can effectively utilize blah, blah, blah…” GET RID OF IT NOW!  Instead, replace it with a Grabber Statement that catches the reader’s eye and stands out (in a good way) from the other resumes sitting on their desk.  A grabber statement can be as simple as a dictionary definition that makes a bold statement about the skills and unique traits you’ll bring to the position.  Here are some examples:

• Rain-mak-er: One whose influence can initiate progress or ensure success
• En*tel’e*chy: Becoming actual what was only potential
• Cat-a-lyst: An agent that provokes or speeds significant change or action

TIP #2

Most employers will eventually ask for references, but it can be a nice surprise to include short, poignant testimonials from folks who can vouch for your work on your actual resume.  The best time to get those testimonials is before you need a job.  So if you don’t already have a LinkedIn profile, GET ONE! And don’t forget to request recommendations from folks you’ve worked closely with.  For example, I repurposed the following recommendations from my own LinkedIn profile and included them along the left-hand side of my resume (along with the names, companies and titles of the authors).

• “very knowledgeable and tactical in both client relations and serviceability”
• “extremely bright and versatile… Kendra is a rare talent who does many things all amazing well”
• “one of the brightest and most talented women I’ve encountered”
• “hard working and willing to share her expertise, ideas and experience with everyone.”

In my personal experience, these two tactics alone will set you ahead of the competition by leaps and bounds!