“So…what do you do?”

How do you want the reader of your resume to perceive you? Confident? Successful? EXACTLY what he is looking for?

This is the reason to use a title on your resume and include a professional profile. This will set the tone of who the reader believes he is looking at while looking at your resume. Many people think that by leaving out this information, they are being more flexible as if to conform to “whatever” may be needed by the recruiter. Not true.

Your resume needs to capture the employer’s attention much like that of a newspaper. The headlines, information, and photos “above the fold” are going to prompt the reader to continue further. Claim your title. Use it as a confident introduction, “Patty Rusin, Talent Manager / Learning & Career Development Coordinator”. You want the employer to instantly know who he is dealing with and what you do. The profile can elaborate on your years of experience, specialty area of expertise and some career highlight(s)/accomplishment(s).

If you do not believe you are a Project Manager, capable of coordinating chaos into a successful result, then why would the employer? Profiles can be written as a paragraph or can be a short list of bullet points. Or it can be a combination of a couple sentences and list of your core competencies.


Example #1 (Administrative Assistant)

· Administrative Assistant with 6+ years of experience assembling flawless presentations, preparing facility reports and maintaining the utmost confidentiality

· Adept at interdepartmental coordination and communication

· Possess comprehensive knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook

· Honed company filing and reporting procedures, saving $4000 annually

Example #2 (Waitress)

· Project Execution: Implemented new menu introduction strategies, increasing customer purchases of wine by 10% on average.

· Management: Assisted in the training of 6 new waiters, ensuring restaurant methodology and practices·

Awards & Recognition: Frequently praised for excellent service on restaurant’s online rating system

· Salesmanship: Deep and broad knowledge of wines and pairings

Example #3 (Janitor)

· Janitor with 7+ years of experience handling the maintenances of hotels and schools

· Specialize in working with teams to achieve institutional efficiency goals

· Proven management skills and in-depth knowledge of safety regulations

· Restored HVAC system, saving the hotel +$50,000 in repair costs

Example #4 (Customer Service Representative)

Customer Service Representative with over 4 years of experience in account administration and telephone sales. Expert at designing and implementing sales strategies. Possess excellent customer service, sales, and communication skills. Implemented a new sales strategy, cutting training expenses by 90% while increasing close ratio by 10% within a 3-month window.


Don’t sell yourself short. If you truly want the position….BE the position. There is truth to the old adage, “Dress for the job you want, not the job you have.” The same applies to your resume.

It’s all about perspective. How does the potential employer view you? How do you view yourself? During a job hunt, is not the time to downplay your skills or be modest about your accomplishments.

Need a sounding board or suggestions, please feel free to reach out. I’m always happy to help… patty@gettingtheretoday.com

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