A resume is a document that job seekers use to apply for jobs. A resume describes one’s professional background, accomplishments, skills, and education. It seems that everyone has an opinion on the “correct” length and what should be included on a resume. Using the B.A.S.I.C. principle when writing your resume will provide the foundation for creating an applicant tracking system (ATS) friendly resume that grabs the recruiter’s attention -keep in mind that recruiters scan resumes in only 7 seconds!
B.A.S.I.C. is an acronym for:
B brief
A accomplishment-based
S simple layout
I impactful
C correct grammar and spelling
When writing your resume keep it brief: eliminate wordiness with bullet points, headers, and short paragraphs to tell your professional story. Never use a font smaller than 10.5 points and two pages is best. Dates for education are only needed for recent college graduates. Use a professional sounding email address, for example bsmith@gmail.com, Gmail is recommended because it syncs easily with outlook calendars.
Summary statements have replaced objective statements. Bulleted items should be accomplishment-based and impactful. Follow our simple “Impact Equation” to easily create effective accomplishment statements. Start with an interesting and engaging action verb, add a quick description of the situation or task to provide background and context, and finish with the results.
Whether you start the process by recalling the situation, action, or result, the final accomplishment statements you include in your resume should put ACTION FIRST to grab attention and end with POWERFUL RESULTS that show the impact you make on an organization.
Creating a concise, powerful accomplishment statement usually starts by reflecting on past projects and/or tasks, thinking about your contributions/actions and identifying the results you achieved. The results section of the “Impact Equation” is the most important. Most job seekers start by describing their job duties; however, that is not going to make an impactful accomplishment statement.
In fact, ending your statement with a powerful result can be considered the most important part of the “Impact Equation.” An extra bonus when you create your resume using the “Impact Equation” you will be ready to use the S.T.A.R. method to answer behavioral interview questions.
Following the B.A.S.I.C. principle will help your resume through the ATS, which organizations use to streamline their hiring process. Most ATS incorporate Artificial Intelligence (AI) software to filter through many resumes and identify those assessed to be the top candidates for a recruiter’s review.
Once uploaded, your resume will be scanned by AI software that parses through keywords, contact information, sometimes verbiage, accomplishment data, span of work history, education, and so on. Your resume keywords will be matched to the keywords found in the job posting. It is important to edit your resume and include pertinent keywords from the job posting prior to applying.
Remember, one resume does not fit all jobs. Follow the B.A.S.I.C. principle and recruiters will be excited to read your resume.