On Valentine’s Day we share many heartfelt expressions with our loved ones. We tell them how wonderful they are; how much we appreciate them, that they make our lives better, that we can’t live without them and so forth. And that is wonderful! But, today it is an even more special Valentine’s Day because I would like you to perform an exercise to help you sprinkle some Valentine’s Day ‘love’ on your job search campaign.
Why Are You So Special?
Print out your resume and walk away from the computer (after reading the next steps, of course). Find a comfortable, feel-great area in your home. Grab a pen (yes you can live without your computer for a few minutes) and revisit each one of your employments beginning with the oldest.
Now, on the resume or on a separate sheet of paper write the answer to the following:
1. Why was I hired for this position? (What did they need? What was the issue they were facing and needed to solve?)
2. How did I become special to this employer beyond executing my daily role?
3. What wonderful things did others say about me at work?
4. When I ended my tenure with this company, who was “heartbroken" and why?
5. What was the most pressing duty/issue that worried me as I handed the reins over to my successor?
6. What did I bring from that experience to my next job/career that helped me succeed?
7. What one specific example can I use from this tenure to prove my value to others?
8. Overall, after reviewing my entire career, what am I most proud of?
You Don’t Need Cupid to Package Yourself
After you perform this exercise, I would like you to reflect on how valuable you have been to your colleagues and your bosses. It is not enough to know you were great. You must be ready to reference specific examples and interpret the value offer for your employer.
What can you do with the answers to this Valentine’s Day exercise? Right away, begin to edit your resume so that each employment begins with a ‘hook, line, and sinker’ followed by an enthralling story and not mundane job descriptions. Then, bring this new resume to an interview so that you know how to “sell” your unique value and make your employer fall in love with the promise of the right candidate.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Rosa Elizabeth Vargas
Master Resume Writer
