Christian Career Coach: Crafting a Compelling Resume: Key Strategies for a Professional Edge

"It all starts with gaining clarity on where God is calling you to serve in your career."

~ Michelyn Smith

If you're like me, you might not know where to begin with crafting a compelling resume. Despite having over a decade of experience, I struggled with deciding what to highlight and what to leave out of my career story. What I discovered is that it all starts with gaining clarity on where God is calling you to serve in your career. If you're struggling to figure out which career path to take, check out the Divine Clarity course here.

In this blog, I’ll guide you through practical steps to help you craft a resume that attracts recruiters' attention. Recruiters look for key skills outlined in the job description and appreciate a well-crafted resume that is easy to read. On average, a recruiter spends 6 seconds reading a resume before deciding whether to move forward with a candidate.

Use an ATS-Approved Resume Template

Ensure your resume is ATS-friendly. Click here to download a free template.

Include a Summary

I always recommend a summary at the top of your resume to outline who you are, what you bring to the table, and your notable skills. Here's an example:

Summary: Strategic marketing leader with a proven track record of guiding and scaling teams to establish a prominent company brand that attracts sponsors, candidates, and customers. Adept at navigating ambiguity and communicating effectively across all levels. My strengths lie in serving as a player/coach, adapting to shifting business priorities, and leveraging technology to enhance the customer experience.

Highlight Key Skills

List your key skills. These should align with the job description or skills needed for the role. Example skills:

• Change Management

• Clinical Research

• Effective Communications

• Project Management

• Program Management

• Brand Management

• Marketing Recruiting

• Onboarding

• Data Analytics

• Budget Management

Detail Your Work Experience

• Start with your most recent job and summarize your role in two to three sentences. Follow this with bullet points highlighting your impact, including metrics. For example:

  • Implemented 6 strategic programs that increased employee engagement by 15%, resulting in a 5% increase in retention YTD.

  • Developed a recruiting marketing strategy that increased traffic to the careers page by 100%, resulting in 100K visitors/month.

  • Managed a $1 million budget for a cross-functional project, leveraging Smartsheet to track progress and hold the project team accountable, resulting in 100% on-time and on-budget completion.

List Education Last (If Seasoned)

• If you're a seasoned professional, list your education last. Recent graduates should place education first under the summary section. If you're experienced, you don't need to include your graduation year. List the most recent degree first.

Education:

• Master of Business Administration, Human Resources – University of Texas at Austin, 2013

• Bachelor of Science, Electrical Engineering – Christian Brothers University, 2005

In conclusion, the key strategy for a professional edge is all about crafting a compelling resume that is tailored to the role and summarizes your value proposition throughout. Highlight your unique qualities while speaking the language used in the job description.

If you're having trouble developing a compelling resume, check out my free downloadable ATS-approved resume templates to get you started. To see how The Purposeful Career Pivot, LLC, can support you on your journey, visit our website at www.thepurposefulcareerpivot.com. Also, follow us on Instagram at Michelyn Smith | Christian Career Coach for free content that will encourage and help you during your search. Check my bio for the most recent Career Navigator Program session to join the growing community of ambitious professionals like you. There is no need to go at this alone.