At one point or another, many startup owners face the need for a professional resume. Some want to take a break in their entrepreneurial activity or change a niche. Others want to combine being a CEO and working in a corporate world. However, if you don’t have a steady employment history, writing a resume can be challenging. In today’s article, we are going to share some actionable tips that any former or current business owner can use to make a competitive resume for employment.
Startup owner resume: Tips from a resume consultant
A well-written, up-to-date resume is essential when you need to find a job fast or apply for a loan. Here’s how any startup founder can compose a persuasive resume:
ü Do talk to a resume consultant
If you haven’t updated the resume in years, note that the rules have changed. Reach out to a resume professional for online consulting services (you can find the best services at https://resumeperk.com/resume-consultant). An experienced resume writer will provide you with a consultancy on how to describe your experience running a business, what to leave off and how to organize the resume content best. Thus, you will avoid many mistakes that turn off potential employers.
ü Do use a traditional resume structure
Start the resume with your name and contact info. Then, proceed to the summary of qualifications, professional experience (you will need to describe running a business here), and education. You may add the extra sections such as volunteering or community engagement if applicable.
ü Do choose the right job title
Pick the job title that most accurately describes your role in the company you started. Most entrepreneurs use such titles as Business Owner, CEO or Founder. Yet, you can also tweak the title and adjust it for the position you’d like to work. Say, when applying for a job in marketing, you may use a title like Director/Marketing Manager.
ü Do include the specifics of your business
To help the hiring managers (or potential investors) evaluate your experience more accurately, add specific details about your business. Example: “Consulting company with 5 employees and annual revenues of $1.5M, providing tax and accounting help to small businesses”. Specifying the scope of your business highlights your contribution to it.
ü Do capitalize on skills you’ve built as an entrepreneur
Entrepreneurs formulate the best business ideas, build teams, negotiate with investors and vendors, and seek ways to promote their services or goods. While setting up and running a business you’ve built some invaluable skills that most full-time employees don’t have, so brag about these skills. Don’t hesitate to list general management, training and recruitment, marketing, leadership and financial management abilities.
ü Do prepare a strong career summary
The summary of qualifications section is essential to every modern resume, according to a resume consultant. It serves as an elevator pitch and helps you advertise your strengths and competencies to a reader immediately. Summarize your biggest strengths and accomplishments in a way that naturally speaks to employers’ needs to inspire them to read your resume top to bottom.
ü Do highlight measurable accomplishments
Whenever possible, use figures, percentages and context when describing your experience running a business. Tell how many people you managed, how much money saved, how much generated in sales, etc. Figures prove your professionalism, show your orientation on the results and help you stand out from other applicants.
ü Do use strong action verbs
As a startup owner, you have a lot of responsibility, so it’s best to present your responsibility using action verbs. Instead of saying responsible for or managed, use chaired, executed, engineered or incorporated. The strong language emphasizes your personal impact and contribution and helps the resume sound more persuasive.
ü Do expand on your education
Education, training and certifications show your commitment to learning. Moreover, they serve as a proof that you have theoretical knowledge in your industry. Include the degree, online courses and other types of training as such information is valuable in every resume.
ü Do keep the resume to one page
Experts recommend that you keep the resume to one page, and the second page is acceptable if you have 10+ years of experience. If your resume turned out much longer, try removing the irrelevant or outdated experience. Focus on the most important duties that promote your value for the desired position.
ü Do proofread the resume before sending
59% of hiring managers reject resumes because of typos or grammar mistakes. Proofread the resume before sending using online spell-checking software and then read it aloud to correct advanced issues. For a better result, contact the resume specialist for consultancy. They will correct all kinds of mistakes in your resume, making it more appealing to organizations where you’d like to submit it.