Bertha's Blog: 9 Tips on Creating a Stand-Out Marketing Resume

You’re looking forward to a long and prosperous career in marketing. But first, you need to actually get hired, and you have to be able to show employers that you have what it takes to market their businesses. A potential employer is likely going to have a pretty good idea of what type of marketer you really are if they decide that they are going to hire you. After all, if you can market yourself so well, chances are that you are going to be the best candidate for the job. This is probably going to be the most important marketing job that you ever do.

So, you have to come up with a resume that is going to make employers practically beg you to work for them. An average, traditional resume just isn’t going to cut it these days. You need to craft a resume that stands out in a sea of boring resumes, and that will get noticed. You can do this by taking heed of the following tips:

1. Know your target audience

The most important thing is to remember who you are marketing to. In this case, it is an employer, and it is a good idea to know what they are looking for in a marketer. Once you know your target, you can use specific keywords that are going to grab their attention. Use those keywords to highlight specific skills, traits, etc. that you bring to the table.

2. Know your messaging strategy

Before you begin writing, think about the message you want your resume to deliver. Do you know what keywords to use? Do you know how to give real-world examples of what you are capable of? Do you know what layout to use in order to get your message across? These are all things you need to consider before crafting your resume.

3. Quantify digital marketing results

There are going to be a lot of bullet points in your resume, which need to include an action verb, a quantifiable point, and a task. For instance, instead of saying able to generate results, show an example of results that you have actually generated, avoiding round numbers. Odd numbers sound more realistic, even if they aren’t exact.

4. Show your career progression

You need to show potential employers a lot more than impressive titles. You need to be able to back up those titles. Tell them how your career has progressed, and the skills you had to learn and use along the way. You can learn more about doing this by using a step-by-step resume guide that will help you create a winning marketing resume.

5. Fool the computer systems

Employers are looking for specific keywords, and if they are not used, your resume will be screened out of the pile. This is why you need to show your career progression, and demonstrate your skills by using the right keywords, your use of social media marketing, knowledge of CRM systems, and any other skills that the employer may be seeking.

6. Begin with a master resume

You should have one master resume that you can work from for all jobs that you are applying for. This will give you the basic structure you need, and then you can make adjustments for the particular positions you are applying for, and match your resume to those positions, using keywords that are in the original job offer (which employers will look for).

7. Tailor your resume

Once you have a master resume, it is time to start tailoring it. You need to add phrases that are verbatim to the experience section. Let’s say that you are trying to tell them that you can work on many campaigns at once. Instead of saying it this way, say something like, “I am able to work on as many as four campaigns at any given time.” It really gets the point across.

8. Clean up your online image

Everything you do online is something that any potential employer is able to see. So, if you don’t want them looking at your drunk photos, it’s time to take them down. Google your name. If you don’t like the results, make some changes so you come off as being a professional and not some kind of weekend warrior who will be hungover most Mondays.

9. Track your resume

It’s no fun sitting around and wondering if an employer is looking over your resume. You can find out for sure if they have seen it by using a tool such as MixMax or YesWare. This will tell you if employers have opened and read emails that you have sent them, and then you can schedule the best time to follow up with them to keep you fresh in their minds.