Not many American writers have won the Nobel Prize for Literature, but William Faulkner is one of those few super-elite recipients. This surprised some, including the author himself, since his style is definitely an acquired taste. The narrative structure of his novels often ran like the trails in the backwoods of his beloved state of Mississippi. Some of his books were translated into movies and this process helped to clarify his stories and characters. But many readers would still like to have a bit more clearness and appreciate Faulkner’s talent more fully.

Similarly, many people create resumes that are unclear, cluttered or meandering in style and content. But in the job search, the stakes are much higher – careers, livelihoods and families are at stake! Faulkner succeeded in finding his voice and a market that would read and value his work – however, what worked for him won’t necessarily work for you. Clarity and conciseness in resumes is essential – if you make it too hard for readers to figure out what you offer, you’re not selling yourself properly and only prolonging the job transition.

Too often people neglect to pull together and package the best pieces of their career flow – hence the need for professional resume service. The results “home-baked” resumes achieve in the search are too often “hit or miss,” with most being “misses.” Rather, the goal must be – use a flexible and provocative document that showcases your best-of-best material, allows you to pivot quickly for real-time opportunities AND put you ahead of your competition.

Be careful not to assume that your resume’s reader will have the time and patience to navigate all the rambling trails of your career details. Instead, readers must understand how and why you have succeeded in your positions. Support your claims and prove your worth, and earn that solid bump in salary, by clearly adding up what you offer and how well you have done in your work history.

Quick Action Tips:

  1. Make sure you both organize AND prioritize what you choose to include in your resume – this also means not trying to cram every possible thing into a 2-page document.
  2. Don’t wander and meander in rolling out your career narrative – always focus on being tight and concise in describing your specific accomplishments.
  3. Read your resume out loud to friends or colleagues to make sure you are being understood; don’t let your resume turn into something like a joke that never gets to the punch line.
  4. If possible, get feedback from your interviews with potential employers or discussions with recruiters to see if anything big and bad stands out.