06Jun

Your resume is one of the most important components of a job search, so what should you include in it?  

Before we get into what to include, let’s back up a bit and discuss the purpose of a resume. A resume is often your first impression with a recruiter or hiring manager. The goal of crafting a resume is to quickly and efficiently help employers learn about who you are and whether your experience and skills match the position they are looking to fill. 

Though resumes for each job and industry will look a little different, there are a few key sections and useful tips that can be applied to any resume for any job.

What Should You Include on a Resume?

  1. Contact Information

Your contact information should always include your name, phone number, and a professional email address. If applicable to the job or industry, the contact information section can also include your professional title, social media handles, and a URL to your personal website, blog, or portfolio. 

With the prevalence of remote work, it is optional to include your address. If you are applying to a role outside your local area, it may be worth noting that you are looking to relocate to avoid confusion. 

2. Skills 

The skills section is perhaps one of the most important areas of the resume. It’s a succinct summary of your best skills, a place to highlight keywords that match the job description, and the first section that recruiters and hiring managers will look at when reviewing your resume. 

Include a list of relevant skills, tools, and certifications that match the job description. Read through the job description and pull out keywords that match your skills and include them in your skills section. 

3. Work Experience 

This section should make up the body of your resume, but you do not need to include every job you have ever had.

Here are the top 5 best practices for the work experience section on your resume:

  • Only include your last 10-15 years of relevant work experience for the job for which you are applying. If possible, try to avoid leaving large gaps in your job history.  
  • List your past jobs in reverse-chronological order, meaning your most recent experience is at the top.
  • Include the name of the company you worked for, perhaps with a brief description, your title, the dates of your employment, and up to six bullet points that outline your work and responsibilities at each job. 
  • Tailor your bullet points as much as possible to highlight your skills and experience that match the job you are applying for.
  • Start each bullet with an action verb followed by a specific task and a quantifiable point.
    • For example, “Spearheaded an email marketing campaign that lifted site traffic and increased email revenue 40%.” 

Throughout your work experience section, add key skills to ensure that it is clear you are an excellent match for the job opening. Remember, the skills and requirements listed in a job description are potential keywords for your resume. 

4. Education 

The education section of your resume should include a list of your degrees and schools, written again in reverse-chronological order with your most recent degree listed first. Each entry should include your type of degree, your major, the name of your university, and any honors and awards you received. Skip including your GPA if you’re a professional. If you are a student, add it to your resume if it’s 3.5 or higher. 

If you do not have a lot of applicable work experience for the job you are applying for, it might be worth including a description of what you studied and applicable projects that are relevant to the job. 

Optional Sections to Include on a Resume 

  1. Resume Summary or Objective 

This is a short, 1-2 sentence section that explains who you are and why you are qualified for the role to which you are applying. This should be specifically tailored to the job you are submitting your resume for. Review the job description for keywords and which of your skills and experience will be most relevant.  

Resume summaries and objectives are slightly different. Essentially, a summary is a good option to include if you have some relevant work experience that can be quickly summarized. An objective is most useful for a recent graduate who has limited job experience or someone who is switching careers. The objective should include your short-term goals. If you are switching careers, your objective should include a short statement addressing why you are switching and how your skills could transfer over to this new role. 

It may be the case that neither a summary nor an objective feels appropriate to include on your resume. It is not always a necessary component; however, it can be a great way to showcase how your skills and experience align with the job (Indeed). 

2. Certifications and Professional Memberships 

If applicable to the job you are applying for, it may be helpful to include any professional memberships relevant to your field and certifications you did not already cover in the skills section of your resume. Be sure those you list are relevant to the job. 

3. Achievements and Awards 

If you have received any relevant professional awards or have key achievements that do not fit within your work experience section, you could highlight them in a section of their own. 

Key Takeaways: 

  • Tailor your resume for each job you’re applying to. Review the job description for keywords and requirements and adjust your resume accordingly. 
  • Make your resume easy to read. Keep it simple and professional – hiring managers are often combing through hundreds of resumes – make yours easy to digest. 
  • Always include your name, contact information, education, and relevant experience and skills. 

Now that you’ve got a great resume, check out Green Key Resources’ list of jobs we’re hiring for now and submit your new resume to apply! 

Additional Sources: 

Feb 26, 2024

The Essence of Marketing Strategy: Driving Business Success

In the intricate world of business, a marketing strategy serves as the cornerstone upon which companies build their path to success. But what exactly is the marketing strategy, what are the different types of marketing strategies, and how does it work? In this article we’ll explore these questions and delve into the essence of effective marketing strategies.

What is Marketing Strategy?

According to Investopedia.com, “A marketing strategy refers to a business’s overall game plan to facilitate the buying and selling of its products or services. A marketing strategy determines how to reach prospective consumers and turn them into customers. It contains the company’s value proposition, key brand messaging, data on target customer demographics, and other high-level elements. A thorough marketing strategy covers the four Ps of marketing: product, price, place, and promotion.”

Types of Marketing Strategy

Types of marketing strategies include:

  • Social Media Marketing
  • Search Engine Optimization
  • Pay Per Click (PPC)
  • Email Marketing
  • Content Marketing

How Does it Work?

A marketing strategy functions as a road map that guides all marketing activities and initiatives. It begins with a thorough understanding of the target market – their needs, preferences, and pain points. Based on this understanding, the strategy defines the positioning of the company’s offerings and determines the most effective channels and messages to reach the target audience.

Key components of a marketing strategy include:

Market Segmentation: Identifying and segmenting the target market based on demographics, psychographics, and behavior.

Value proposition: Articulating the unique value that the company offers to its customers and differentiating itself from competitors.

Channel selection: Choosing the most appropriate marketing channels to reach the target audience, such as social media, e-mail marketing, content marketing, or traditional advertising.

Messaging and Creative: Crafting compelling messages and creative assets that resonate with their target audience and communicate the value proposition effectively.

Measurement and Analysis: Establishing key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the success of marketing efforts and continuously analyzing data to optimize performance.

In conclusion, understanding marketing strategies, its types, and how it works are vital for business success, enabling companies to drive growth and engagement effectively.  

Feb 27, 2024

The Essence of Marketing Strategy: Driving Business Success (Part II)

With a grasp of the fundamental concept of Marketing Strategy, let’s explore its advantages in more detail and uncover the steps to effectively craft one.

Benefits of Marketing Strategies

  • Clear Direction: A well-defined marketing strategy provides a clear roadmap for achieving business objectives. It aligns marketing efforts with overall goals, ensuring that every action contributes to the company’s success.
  • Customer Engagement and Loyalty: A strategic approach to marketing fosters deeper connections with customers. By understanding their needs and preferences, companies can tailor messages and experiences that resonate with their audience, leading to increased engagement and loyalty.

Marketing Stratego also highlights a few benefits including:

  • “Increased Brand Awareness: A strong marketing strategy helps increase brand awareness by promoting the business’s products or services to the target audience. This, in turn, leads to more recognition and recall of the brand, which ultimately leads to more sales and customer loyalty.”
  • “Increased Sales and Revenue: A well-designed marketing strategy leads to increased sales and revenue by attracting more customers to the business and increasing their willingness to purchase. This can be achieved through effective targeting, promotions, and other marketing efforts.”
  • “Better Customer Targeting: A good marketing strategy helps businesses understand their target audience and create campaigns that are relevant to them. This leads to more effective and efficient marketing, as businesses are able to reach their target customers more effectively and achieve better results.”
  • “Competitive Advantage: A strong marketing strategy can give a business a competitive advantage by differentiating it from its competitors. By creating unique and effective campaigns, businesses can stand out in their market and attract more customers.”
  • ‘Improved Lead Generation: A good marketing strategy helps businesses generate more leads by promoting the business’s products or services to the target audience. This leads to more opportunities for businesses to convert those leads into customers and increase their revenue.”
  • “Improved Brand Image and Reputation: A well-designed marketing strategy helps improve a business’s brand image and reputation by creating positive associations with the brand. This, in turn, leads to increased customer loyalty, as customers are more likely to do business with a brand they view positively.”
  • “Increased Market Share: A strong marketing strategy helps businesses increase their market share by attracting more customers and retaining existing ones. This, in turn, leads to increased revenue and growth for the business.”
  • “More Effective Use of Resources: A good marketing strategy helps businesses make the most of their marketing budget and resources. By identifying the most effective channels and campaigns, businesses can maximize their return on investment and achieve better results.”
  • “Better Return on Investment (ROI): A well-designed marketing strategy helps businesses achieve a better return on investment by increasing sales and revenue and maximizing the use of resources. This, in turn, leads to increased profitability and growth for the business.”

Now that we’ve highlighted the benefits of a marketing strategy, lets’ explore the process of creating an effective one.

According to Hubspot.com, here are the eight steps a company should take during the marketing strategy process:

  • Conduct market research: “…you need to gather useful data for making informed decisions. Market research is like playing detective, but instead of solving crimes, you’re uncovering juicy details about your customers. Market research will help your businesses make data-driven decisions for your marketing strategy. It also makes it easier to understand your target market, find gaps, and make the most of your resources.”
  • Define your goals: What do you want to achieve through your marketing efforts? Whether it’s increasing brand awareness, driving sales, or diversifying your customer base, well-defined goals will guide your marketing strategy.”
  • Identify your target audience and create buyer personas: To create an effective marketing strategy, you need to understand who your ideal customers are. Take a look at your market research to understand your target audience and market landscape. Accurate customer data is especially important for this step…”
  • Conduct competitive analysis: To begin your competitive analysis, start with your top competitors. Reviewing their websites, content, ads, and pricing can help you understand how to differentiate your brand. It’s also a useful way to find opportunities for growth.”
  • Develop key messaging: Craft compelling massages and creative assets that effectively communicate your value proposition and resonate with your audience. Ensure consistency in messaging across all channels to build brand recognition and trust.
  • Choose your marketing channels: You know what you have to say, now decide on the best marketing channels for your message. Your top goal for this stage of your strategy is to align your channel choices with your target persona’s media consumption habits. Start with media channels you’re already using. Then, consider a mix of traditional and digital channels such as social media, TV, email marketing, podcast ads, SEO, content marketing, and influencer partnerships. To streamline this process, think of your assets in three categories — paid, owned, and earned media.”
  • Create, track, and analyze KPIs: At this stage, you’ll shift from marketing detective to numbers nerd. With a little planning and prep, your analytics can unveil the mysteries of marketing performance and unlock super insights. Review your strategy and choose measurable KPIs to track the effectiveness of your strategy. Create a system that works for your team to collect and measure your data.”
  • Present your marketing strategy: A finished marketing strategy will pull together the sections and components above. It may also include: Executive Summary, Brand Identity, and a Marketing Plan and Tactics”