The Resume That Got Me Into Google

Sahil & Sarra
30 Sept 202207:26

TLDRThis video explains the importance of tailoring resumes to individual profiles, focusing on impressing recruiters, hiring managers, and resume filters. It advises starting with the most impressive aspect, avoiding self-rated skills, and highlighting project impacts with key metrics. The speaker also shares tips for those without degrees or work experience, emphasizing the need to build a resume over time.

Takeaways

  • 📄 Copying someone else's resume template is not effective; your resume should reflect your unique education and work experience.
  • 🔝 The most important part of your resume is the top section. Start with the most impressive aspect of your background to catch the recruiter's attention.
  • 📧 Include your name, contact details, LinkedIn profile, and optionally GitHub or personal website at the top of your resume.
  • 💼 Tailor your skills section to match the job posting, including relevant skills to pass the resume filter software.
  • 🚫 Avoid rating yourself on your skills or including soft skills like 'team player' or 'results-oriented' as they are not impactful.
  • 📊 In the work experience or projects section, answer 'What did you do?', 'How did you do it?', and 'What was the impact?' to provide a complete picture.
  • 🏆 If you have significant work experience, prioritize it over education and awards. Less relevant college awards and coursework can be omitted.
  • 🔍 Use action verbs to start your sentences and make your impact statements strong by including key metrics.
  • 🛠️ If you lack work experience or a degree, build your resume by participating in hackathons, contributing to open source projects, and creating your own projects.
  • 🧠 Resume writing involves understanding the psychology behind it. Focus on making your resume clear, concise, and tailored to your unique experiences and skills.

Q & A

  • What is the main message of the video about resumes?

    -The main message of the video is that a resume should be tailored to the individual's unique profile and that it should be structured to impress three main 'customers': the recruiter, the hiring manager, and the resume filter software.

  • Why is it not advisable to copy someone else's resume template?

    -Copying someone else's resume template is not advisable because each person's education and work experience is different. What worked for one person may not work for another, and it's important to tailor the resume to one's own unique profile.

  • What is the average time a recruiter spends on reading a resume?

    -The average time a recruiter spends on reading a resume is about 7 seconds, which emphasizes the importance of having a strong and attention-grabbing start to the resume.

  • Why is it important to start the resume with the most impressive part of one's profile?

    -Starting the resume with the most impressive part is important because it captures the recruiter's attention within the first few seconds, increasing the chances that they will continue reading and consider the candidate for an interview.

  • What are the three key questions to answer when writing about projects in the resume?

    -The three key questions to answer when writing about projects are: What did you do, How did you do it, and What was the impact of the project.

  • Why should one avoid self-rating their skills in the resume?

    -Self-rating skills in the resume should be avoided because it is subjective and recruiters are more interested in the actual skills and experiences rather than the candidate's self-assessment.

  • What is the purpose of including a LinkedIn profile in the resume?

    -Including a LinkedIn profile in the resume is important because it provides an additional platform for the recruiter to assess the candidate's professional background and network, and it can sometimes even substitute the need for a traditional resume.

  • What is the significance of the 'impact statement' when describing projects in the resume?

    -The impact statement is significant because it demonstrates the tangible results and contributions of the project, providing evidence of the candidate's abilities and the value they can bring to a potential employer.

  • Why should one avoid including soft skills in the skills section of the resume?

    -Soft skills should be avoided in the skills section of the resume because they are often considered redundant and less valuable in the context of technical or professional qualifications that are more directly relevant to the job.

  • What are some ways to build a strong resume even without a degree or work experience?

    -Some ways to build a strong resume without a degree or work experience include participating in hackathons, contributing to open source projects, and building personal projects that showcase one's skills and capabilities.

  • What is the final advice given by the speaker regarding the building of a resume?

    -The final advice given by the speaker is that resumes are built over time and that candidates should focus on building their resume by gaining relevant experiences and skills, rather than just writing a document.

Outlines

00:00

📝 Tailoring the Perfect Resume

The speaker emphasizes that a one-size-fits-all resume template is ineffective due to the uniqueness of each individual's education and work experience. They suggest understanding the reasoning behind the structure of a successful resume to adapt it to one's profile. The audience is introduced to the concept of 'customers' for a resume, including recruiters, hiring managers, and resume filters. The importance of the resume's opening is stressed, as it must capture the interest of busy recruiters within the first 7 seconds. The speaker shares personal mistakes and advises against generic rules, urging instead to highlight one's best attributes or projects at the beginning.

05:02

🔍 Crafting an Impressive Resume Opening

The speaker advises on writing an impactful resume opening to intrigue recruiters, suggesting that personal details like name and contact information should follow the initial hook. They recommend listing skills at the top if the candidate has a strong skill set, and sharing mistakes made in their own resume as a cautionary tale. The importance of aligning the skills section with the job requirements is highlighted, along with the advice to avoid self-rating skills and including redundant soft skills. The speaker also stresses the significance of having a LinkedIn profile and possibly a GitHub account or personal website.

🛠️ Discussing Projects and Work Experience

This section focuses on how to effectively write about projects and work experience, especially for those without much experience. The speaker outlines the three key questions to answer: what was done, how it was done, and the impact of the project. They suggest starting with an intriguing title, detailing the project, and then explaining the technical challenges and scope. The importance of demonstrating the project's impact with key metrics is emphasized, along with the suggestion to include links to personal projects if available. The speaker also advises starting sentences with action verbs to convey a proactive approach.

🏆 Education, Honors, and Interests in a Resume

The speaker discusses the placement and relevance of the Education section, including GPA, and the inclusion of honors and awards. They share their personal experience of including college courses, which may not be necessary for those with industry experience. The speaker advises that not all achievements need to be listed and that 'less is more' when it comes to resume content. They also mention interests as conversation starters for interviews, and the importance of building a resume over time through activities like participating in hackathons, contributing to open source projects, and creating personal projects.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Resume

A resume is a document that outlines a person's professional experience, education, and skills. It is typically used in job applications to provide a quick snapshot of a candidate's qualifications. In the video, the speaker emphasizes the importance of tailoring a resume to an individual's unique profile and highlights that a one-size-fits-all template is not effective. The speaker's own resume is used as an example to illustrate how to structure and prioritize information to catch the attention of recruiters and hiring managers.

💡Customer

In the context of the video, 'customer' refers to the various parties who will review the resume, including recruiters, hiring managers, and the resume filter software. The speaker suggests that a resume should be crafted to appeal to these 'customers' by highlighting relevant skills and experiences that meet their specific needs. This approach is analogous to how a business might tailor its products or services to attract and satisfy its customers.

💡Recruiter

A recruiter is a professional responsible for finding and hiring new employees for an organization. In the video, the speaker notes that recruiters are very busy and typically spend only a few seconds reviewing each resume. Therefore, the resume must be structured in a way that quickly captures their interest, such as by starting with the most impressive aspects of the candidate's profile.

💡Hiring Manager

A hiring manager is the individual who has the authority to make the final decision on whether a candidate is worthy of an interview and potentially a job offer. The video emphasizes the importance of impressing the hiring manager by showcasing relevant skills and experiences that align with the job requirements.

💡Resume Filter

A resume filter is a software tool used by employers to automatically screen resumes for specific keywords related to the job requirements. The speaker points out that a resume must pass through this filter to even be considered by a human recruiter or hiring manager. Therefore, including relevant keywords in the resume is crucial.

💡Skills

Skills are the abilities and competencies that a candidate possesses, which are relevant to the job they are applying for. The video script discusses the importance of including the right skills in the resume, especially those mentioned in the job posting, to demonstrate the candidate's fit for the position. The speaker also advises against self-rating skills or including generic 'soft skills' that do not add value.

💡Work Experience

Work experience refers to the jobs and roles a candidate has held in the past, which are typically listed on a resume. In the video, the speaker advises on how to effectively describe work experience, focusing on what was done, how it was done, and the impact it had. This approach helps to demonstrate the candidate's capabilities and achievements.

💡Projects

Projects are tasks or initiatives that a candidate has undertaken, often in an academic or personal context. The video suggests that for those without significant work experience, showcasing projects can be an effective way to demonstrate skills and achievements. The speaker provides a framework for discussing projects, including the project's purpose, the methods used, and the outcomes achieved.

💡Impact Statement

An impact statement is a part of a resume where a candidate describes the tangible results or benefits of their work or projects. The video emphasizes the importance of making a strong impact statement to show the value a candidate can bring to a potential employer. Including key metrics or results can help to quantify this impact.

💡Education

Education refers to the academic qualifications and training a candidate has received. In the video, the speaker discusses the placement of education on the resume, suggesting that it may not always be necessary to include detailed information about college coursework or awards if the candidate has significant industry experience.

💡Interests

Interests are personal hobbies or activities that a candidate enjoys outside of work. The video script mentions that including interests on a resume can serve as conversation starters during interviews, helping to create a more personal connection with the interviewer. However, the speaker also notes that these should be relevant and not just filler content.

Highlights

The importance of tailoring a resume to one's unique profile rather than copying a template.

Different resumes for different people based on their education and work experience.

Understanding the 'customer' of a resume: the recruiter, hiring manager, and resume filter software.

The average time a recruiter spends on a resume is about 7 seconds.

The significance of the top part of the resume in capturing the recruiter's attention.

The misconception of starting a resume with education or skills and the need to prioritize the most impressive aspect.

The author's personal mistake of not prioritizing their Amazon work experience at the top of their resume.

The advice against copy-pasting resume templates and the importance of personalization.

Writing one's name in a large font to make it memorable and including basic contact details.

The necessity of having a LinkedIn profile in 2022 and its potential to replace the need for a resume.

Including GitHub or personal website links in the resume if available.

The role of the Skills section in impressing recruiters and passing the resume filter.

Avoiding self-rating of skills and the redundancy of including common soft skills.

The three key questions to answer when writing about projects: What, How, and Impact.

The importance of using action verbs and providing a strong impact statement for projects.

The author's mistake of including college awards and courses in their resume, which may not be relevant post-industry experience.

The philosophy that 'Resumes are built over time' and the importance of building one's resume through activities like hackathons and open source contributions.

The video's focus on the psychology of resume writing and the invitation to watch another video for more detailed tips.

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