Writing an effective resume headline in 3 steps
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Remember the resume objective you used to have back in 2002? It failed miserably in the corporate world. Why? Because employers would read those three sentences about what you plan to get out of the job and wonder, “Well, you get a lot from us. But what do we get from you?” Resumes with objective statements quickly became extinct, as recruiters continued to reject them in favor of resumes with a resume headline.
What is a resume headline?
You already know a resume headline, although you may not know it by that name. The resume headline goes by many names, including “resume title” and “resume summary.” A resume headline is a small paragraph of 2-4 sentences that goes right under your resume’s contact information. Consider this the first handshake between you and your employer. The resume headline introduces you to the reader and explains what you can do for them while highlighting one or two of your most notable accomplishments.
Here’s how you can create a great resume headline in 3 steps
1. Do your research first
First, select the job title for which you are applying. You will already know if you are tailoring your resume for a particular job description. If you are writing a general resume, the content of it will depend on the job title you choose. Your resume should be written to show how you are qualified for the particular role. Go through sample resumes for the same job title and identify what each person has highlighted in their resume headline. This will give you a clue about the qualifications/accomplishments you must mention in yours.
2. Identify what makes you unique
The whole purpose of the resume headline is to highlight how you are uniquely suited for this job among all the other candidates with similar qualifications. If you have not already done so, start by creating a resume outline. You must select the most relevant work experiences and achievements to go on the resume. This information lets you select the best to highlight in your resume headline. It is always better to align the content of the resume headline with the job description. This will ensure that a reader sees your full worth and suitability for the role. The keywords you use in the resume headline will also help with the ATS optimization of your resume.
3. Decide your headline strategy
A strong resume headline mentions a bit of your career summary and your best qualifications. For the headline, you can choose to go with your years of experience, industry credentials, or job-related skills. Here are some tips to help you decide the flow of your resume headline:
- Keep it short. Your resume headline must not go beyond 4 sentences.
- Use a dash of color, bold letters, or bullet points to make your resume headline stand out.
- Consider using subheadings below the main headline to add more keywords to your resume.
- Add a line for personal branding to the resume headline.
- Tailor your resume headline for the job title.
- Create a few targeted resume headlines when you apply for different jobs.