TOP STORY: Make this resume and get an interview today!

You have six seconds to make that first impression. Let’s learn how to get that precious 7th second.

Employers take six-seconds to view your resume. Let’s make it past that first impression to land an interview.

Today we will cover “Above the fold”

1. What is a fold.
2. Using above the fold well.
3. Real-life follow-along example.
4. What to put below the fold.

This is part three of a three-part series on writing a winning resume. This series begins with a brief article on ATS software and continues with effective SMART goals. If these terms are unfamiliar, start there first.

Your resume should tell an actionable story. Prove that you are an achiever and not just a do-er.

1. What is a fold?

This term originates from newspapers. The top content (above the folded paper) has a punchy headline with today’s ONE big story and a large picture. The area below the fold has shorter articles and an index of what’s inside.

In digital web content the “above the fold” area is the visible area (known as the “viewport”) which is what you see before you scroll down.

A resume of jobs duties shouldn’t be listed “above the fold.” Engage readers to WANT to read your resume.

Keep your content short and sweet to keep them reading!

2. Using above the fold well

Peoples eyes track across a page or screens in an F- shaped pattern so make your first words count.

I. Your “headline” comes first. This is not your former job role title. This gives you (your name), the skillset(s) you have, and the role you want. Your job below the fold will be to prove you have that role’s skills (more later).

II. Your “big news” story is what makes you different. This is not a summary. This is short paragraph sharing you as a brand. It’s also called a professional executive summary at times. It’s meant to be an elevator pitch. Things like:

1. What keeps you passionate and awake at night (not your kids, unless you want a job at a daycare)?
2. How does that passion directly translate (or indirectly transfer) to the job for which you are applying? Why you qualified for this type of position? What experience, education, and skills make you a good candidate?
3. What do you deliver to the business/company making you the top choice? What value do you provide?

III. Your “picture” (not literally). Although a picture is worth 1,000 words, ATS systems hate images. Our job is to concisely share our big news story and prove ourselves with vivid visual stories and impactful words. (more later).

Capture the reader with three things: Headline, Big News, and the “Picture.”

3. My “Above the fold” real-world example:

I. Headline — Your name, skillset, and role

Kristina Rudolph, MFA in design — Product Manager
My headline not only displays my name. It shows that I achieved an advance degree focused on design and am therefore practiced in design-thinking. There is no guesswork. I seek a product management role even if my resume shows design, sales, and consulting work (we will pivot these to transferable skills later).

II. Big News — Your brand story

1. (my passion piece and how it translates)
   Everyone is entitled to beautifully designed and easy-to-use products, digital experiences, and services that live synergistically within our ecosystem. My mission is for design to be accessible and inclusive to all.
2. (what makes me different)
   Polymathic thinkers stay current to ever-evolving trends in products, software, technology, and business. Design business leaders use design thinking and Agile methodologies to lead inclusive product owner teams, which create successful business solutions.
3. (what do I deliver better than anyone)
   Short-term goals include work with technical, design, and engineering to perform product management and design development. Long-term goals aim for team engagement and active mentorship opportunities blending business management, engineering, Ux, Ui, and design communities together to prepare for growth as a CDO.

What did we learn from this “above the fold” example?

You see I want to bring fair products and services to life while treating the environment right. You see that I’m comfortable learning and doing different things so I should be able to think through a process. Finally, you see that I want to grow with the company and help others within it grow too.

Show actionable examples that bring your skillset to life.

III. Your picture — Prove it!

Now for the “picture” proof (again, not literally). Sharing bullet points of hard skills (measured abilities to read, write, or use certain software) and soft skills (people and social skills) is NOT recommended. That list tells claimed skills rather than showing proven abilities.

People think ATS software will pick up these buzzwords but there is a better delivery method. Our aim is to bring your hard and soft skills to life though the experiences you’ve had. Prove your direct passion in the context of what you’ve been doing. This also shows an achiever pattern which is highly regarded inside many businesses.

Here are questions and ideas for you to consider:

1. If you participated in a hackathon what did you learn together? If you won or your team did well share that outcome. If you lost what did you learned from that team experience?
2. Have you taught yourself big concepts? Have you continued your education or joined a bootcamp or trade school? What were your take-aways from those experiences? Did you create something that you can reference online?
3. Have you done volunteer work? What was the goal and the outcome?
4. If you attend conferences why does that material interest you and what did you learn?

The idea is to show your passion through action. This primes the reader to want to know more about you. This is also an area to incorporate those job skillsets for ATS software. Be sure to share how all these experiences translate back to that job and keep it relevant!

Not that you’ve kept the reader’s interest it’s time to close the deal below the fold.

4. What to put below the fold

Finally, we got to the part where you list your previous jobs.

Our goal below the fold is to show how your former jobs have transferable skills which align to the new job. It’s more than sharing job titles, employment dates, and job duties. Each job should share a (short) SMART story and acts as another opportunity for ATS software to catch your skillsets.

It’s possible that your list of previous job titles and job duties may be less relevant (especially if you are new to the industry, returning to work, or pivoting into a new industry) and that’s why using SMART is vital.

Take former job’s transferrable skills and create SMART stories where ATS software works to your advantage.

In article two on “Make this SMART resume to get the job today.” We covered the importance of great SMART goals. Your focus here is to share how your former job’s direct (or transferrable) skills make you the best candidate.

Be sure your SMART story with each job weaves in those ATS skillsets required for the job. This process also helps you craft a story that you can further expand on when you get your interview.

Conclusion

Making a lasting impression in six-seconds is easy. It’s making a positive impression that gives you that seventh second that is so vital.

You only have one page (preferred these days) or two-pages if you are an experienced industry professional. Making every word count above the fold, sharing your experiences and passion through your SMART experiences, and remembering that F-shaped path our eyes follow to track a page are all important things to remember.

This is part three of a three-part series on writing a winning resume. If you find this information easy to understand then be sure to learn more by reading my article about ATS software and and how to use it well and how to understand and use effective SMART goals.

Kristina Rudolph | www.linkedin.com/in/kcandy/