Clever Fox Blog

We’ve been “hibernating” on the blog front but things have been happening behind the scenes.

Over the last year, we’ve had many clients who have made successful career/life transitions.  Some of these changes have been self initiated, others were in response to external circumstances such as job redundancies.

One of our recent initiatives for clients making such transitions is enhancing their marketability through effective resumes.  We have found that there is widespread misunderstanding of what a resume really is.  This is perpetuated by businesses that purport to provide “professional resumes” but are actually clueless on what it takes to create a worthwhile resume.

We recently had a client who used one of these services.  He informed us that his new resume was developed after a 30 minute conversation with someone over the phone.  The result - a document that was far from a resume - it did not even include his employment history!

Our resume writing services is certainly not for the masses. We work with experienced individuals who are serious about gaining a competitive advantage in their job search. We go through an in-depth process of information gathering, strategy building, writing, editing, designing and reviewing to create resumes that position our clients effectively for new employment.  Find out more on www.australianresumes.com.au.

Not long ago, a flyer arrived in the mail about feng shui services.  I threw it in the bin.  This might seem strange as I had actually taken the time to ask for the information to be sent to me.

My decision to bin the flyer was made within seconds of seeing it.  And it was based on the “feeling” I got just from looking at the flyer.  Here’s why:

1. Red text was used against a dark orange background.  The colours fought against each other which made reading difficult.  My layman’s opinion was that a good feng shui consultant would know better about using colours that harmonised.

2. The flyer was printed on cheap paper, whereas her services were expensive.

3. The text was jammed into the brochure, yet feng shui places a high emphasis on de-cluttering.

4. The flyer looked more a pizza delivery menu than a personalised feng shui service.

In short, her personal branding was incongruent with what she was trying to sell.  As a result, I did not feel confident in her expertise.

Whether you’re writing a resume for your next job, or giving a potential client a brochure of your services, you’re essentially doing the same thing.

You’re saying “This is what I can offer you, what I am worth, how I can solve your problems, and why you should select me over anyone else”.

To do so successfully, a personal branding strategy will help.

When it comes to job hunting, your resume is just one element, albeit an important one, of your personal branding.

If your resume portrays a personal brand that does not leave the hiring manager feeling confident about your capabilities, it’s likely to end up in the bin—like that feng shui flyer.

Factors to take into account in developing a personal branding strategy for your resume include:
- The image you portray and adjusting it to match the industry/position you are applying for
- Your “personality”
- How you position yourself in relation to other candidates
- Your perceived worth to the company
- The “tone” of your resume
- The qualities you want a potential employer to know you possess

Once you have determined these, you can set about crafting the words to “back up” and match your personal brand.

If you need help in developing your personal brand in relation to your career, you can always seek Clever Fox’s personalised Resume Writing Service.