3 Reasons You Need To Attach A Project List To Your Resume
Ever wondered why you don’t get an immediate call-back when you submit your resume? The answer might be as simple as your project list. What’s that, you don’t have a project list with your resume? Problem identified—read on!
We get it. You’re busy. You’re the translator between design teams, architects and subcontractors, making sure everyone’s moving towards the goal line together and at the same pace even though they all, at times, seem to forget they’re part of a team. You’re equal parts business development, project master and budget manager, and you balance all three parts perfectly.
Even better, your career is a track record of success. Projects get completed on time and under budget. Punch lists get knocked out like a Rhonda Rousey victim. Your boss is happy, architects and designers are proud of their work and every detail falls right where it should. In short, the puzzle goes together. And you’re the one lining it all up.
If that’s you, then you have a story to tell, and the way to do it is in the project list. Here’s 3 great reasons to attach a project list to that awe-inspiring resume of yours.
Reason 1: Your project list tells your recruiter and potential employer whether or not you’ve got the right stuff in 5 seconds.
It’s the unspoken truth of job hunting. OK, slight correction, it’s totally spoken, but we don’t really like to agree with it even though we all know it’s true. Nobody has any time anymore. On average, a hiring manager spends six seconds reviewing a resume. Technology didn’t make things easier, it just made stuff faster, and when that hiring manager is faced with a stack of resumes and less than an hour to find that one gem in the pile, they’re looking for a quick way to figure out whether or not you make the cut.
If you’re a top shelf project manager, and you want to get found in a stack of top shelf project managers, you have to put as much into your resume as you do your projects. It isn’t enough just to talk about yourself, you need to stand out like a neon sign in a dark room.
Let’s be brutally honest here—in a world where everyone knows how to talk about themselves in glowing terminology, nothing speaks louder than your accomplishments. A succinct list of the projects you’ve worked on is far more compelling than your ability to manage change orders or how often your resume features overused terminology like excellent, strong, experienced and expertise. Talking about the position you’d like to secure with the organization that will benefit from your awesomeness is great, but following that up with a well-organized and concise listing of the projects you’ve successfully completed is the difference between just saying something, and proving it’s true. We all think we’re worth hiring. Showing exactly why gets you the job.
Reason 2: Your project list is far easier to organize (and read) than your resume.
Your resume has a ton of information, and it all needs to be there. A finely-tuned objective. Contact info. Where you’ve worked. When you worked there. What they called you. Your responsibilities. Where you were educated. What languages you speak. What software you know. Your LinkedIn URL. Plus, that catch-all “Additional Information” section you strategically place at the bottom of the page, listing out everything else about you that’s really valuable but didn’t make it into the employment-specific sections above. Given that you likely have 6 seconds of that hiring manager’s time to make a winning impression, your resume has to work as fast as possible to sink that hook, and that huge amount of totally valuable information on page 1 can work against you even if you’re also a master of data organization and page layout.
Enter the project list. Think of it as an elevator speech, the knockout punch of the one-two combination, the invaluable second page of that killer resume. One well-organized, easy to read section that the hiring manager can go to in order to evaluate your accomplishments. In mere seconds. Make an impression with the project list, and the rest of the resume gets extra time, which can be the difference maker in a job search.
Reason 3: Your project list might be the one thing that lands you that perfect job
A lifetime of achievement. Total dedication to the successful completion of exceptional projects. You’re as good as it gets—your reputation alone should get you from one great opportunity to another. Makes total sense, except for the fact that we all know it doesn’t always work that way. Taking that one extra step can differentiate you, even in an elite group where everyone excels. Especially there.
Keeping it concise is the key. Zero extra information, no fluff. Nothing flowery or overly dramatic here, just an informal, powerful snapshot of your track record. Project type, Location, Architect, Contract Value, Square Footage. The role you played and a quick description of the project are the only value-added areas, but even they need to be short and sweet in order to be effective. That’s the key to the project list.
CLT Recruiters can help you master the project list.
At CLT Recruiters, we’re passionate about helping you achieve professional fulfillment and the compensation you deserve, and we know that the project list can be the key. We help you look at your work history with fresh eyes, pulling out the gems that will set you above the competition and build the winning resume and project list. We’re dedicated to helping you land the right opportunity by matching you up with an employer where we know you’ll be a fit and where you can build that career of your dreams, doing work you’re proud of and making your mark in this industry.
If you want to work with someone who knows this industry, understands exactly what it takes to craft that next page in your story and is dedicated to your success, we invite you to contact us for a free resume review and project list consultation. Turning dreams to reality begins with a conversation—contact us today!