After you leave a job, one of the first things that you want to do is rewrite your resume. Throughout the campaign, you gained new, invaluable skills. This section covers substance and formatting and style to help your resume reflect your amazing skills! Reach out to [email protected] to have your resume reviewed.
Add Your Most Recent Position & Review Past Positions
You’ve spent the past few months, the past year devoted to working to get your candidate elected. Now, it’s time for you to highlight (and give yourself a pat on the back) for everything you accomplished. Be real, honest, and proud of the work that you did.
TIP: It’s important to know what the industry is currently looking for and where it is headed towards. Have someone who currently has the position, or at least in the same industry, you are applying to review your resume. This will allow you to gain insight into how you should be thinking about your resume and job search.
Substance
On average, employers spend about one minute reviewing a person’s resume. For organizations that use Applicant Tracking Systems, your resume will not be reviewed by a person until it passes an algorithm. To increase your chances of having your resume be read, tailor your content with specific examples that tell your professional story in a cohesive narrative. Do not list a series of tasks you accomplished.
Review the job description and see which words are commonly used. Use apps like Wordle or TagCrowd to figure out which words the position highlights. For example, if you are applying for an Organizing Director role, use words that are related to that position such as managing a team of five organizers, knowledge of NGP VAN, etc.
Misspellings can cause your resume to be overlooked. Typos also show lack of attention to detail. Additionally, some organizations use applicant tracking systems to pick up keywords on your application. Have a friend, former coworker, family member, etc. review your resume before you submit!
Your content should best portray your experiences, how your experiences are tied to the role you’re applying for, and why you stand out. Things you want to ask yourself include: Are there key metrics or projects that you want to highlight? What are some new skills that you gained that are specific to the role and recognized as an asset in your field?
If you’re moving from campaigns to advocacy, there will be very few edits to make. However, if you’re moving onto the private sector, you cannot assume that the employer is familiar with what you do. Or, if you’re trying to move from an Organizing position to a Communications role, you want to show how the skills are related and transferable.
Having multiple versions of your resume not only makes your work experience more understandable to the reader but better highlights how your skills and experiences are applicable to the role.
For each position that you apply for, submit a tailored resume that reflects how your skills and experiences are applicable to the role.
Style and Formatting
Remember, at the very end, your resume will be read by a human being. Have your resume styled and formatted so it is easy to read while sharing the main points about your story and work.
Use standard fonts (i.e. Arial) and readable font sizes (i.e. 12). Do not cram text or put in unnecessary graphics. Remember, your final resume will be read by a human being.
This allows applicant tracking systems to easily separate your work experiences from your contact information, education, and skill set. It also tells the recruiter your professional story. Keep in mind that unless you are a recent college graduate your Education section needs to be at the bottom. You want to highlight your professional experiences.
Do not save your resume as “resume” but have it include your first and last name. Generally, you want to save and upload your resume as a PDF. This will help prevent any changes to your formatting. Some organizations prefer Word Docs. Check out what files the organizations accept prior to submission.
Generally, your resume should be one page, but it can be over one page (usually two pages) if you have a considerable amount of work experience of about 8+ years. The exception to the page-length rule is if you are applying for government jobs (i.e. USAJobs), wherein detailing every position that you’ve ever held is used to your advantage
TIP: Similar to your tailored resumes, keep copies of your tailored cover letters. When you receive interview invitations, review the tailored resumes and cover letters that you submitted and compare them to the job description to identify what are similarities within each piece that is leading employers to be interested in you as a job candidate. This will help you understand what makes you stand out.
Resources on Resume Writing
All photos used in the Post-Campaign Guide are accredited to People of Color in Tech.