The term “above the fold” originated in the newspaper industry. It is the space literally above where the paper folds. This is where the reader expects the headlines! A resume is no different. Are you managing this prime resume real estate to showcase your skills and experience in a way that compels the prospective employer to read on? This is the space for your own personal value proposition – what do you offer the prospective employer? Keep reading this blog to learn how to sell “above the fold.”
There are four common sections in most resumes that appear in this space and not all are appropriate: an objective statement, a tagline, a summary, and a skills profile.
An objective has almost always been a statement of your employment goals. It’s all about what you want, and what you’re looking to obtain. This type of statement may be helpful for those employees just entering the workforce, or entering into a different field. If you’ve been in the workforce for a while, consider eliminating the objective and going straight to your tagline, summary and skills. Focus on what the employer wants.
A tagline enables those who review your resume to immediately see your value, and, if executed correctly, is the hook that moves the hiring manager to further read your resume. Taglines should be short, less than eight words. Taglines are clean, concise, and get to the point. Some examples:
- Business Developer I Client Acquisition And Revenue Rainmaker
- Super People Connector I B2B Relationship Builder
- Championing Clinical Research From Bench To Bedside
- Performance-driven sales, marketing and business development executive
- Creating better lives through meaningful technology innovations
Follow your tag line with a summary of bullet points containing key words pertinent to your strengths, and always be at the top of the fold. If you’ve taken the StrengthsFinder assessment, your five themes will provide a great start to this section. We also call this the “DNA” section as it highlights strengths you were born with.
A carefully crafted “Skills” section communicates at a glance your core strengths and experience – whether learned in formal education or on the job. Think of this as a great opportunity to show how you align with the position requirements!
- Operations Management
- Financial Management
- Strategic Planning & Analytics
- Program/Project Management
- Key Relationships – BOD, Investors, Legal, Auditors, Banking & Insurance
- ERP System Design and Implementation
- Implementation
- Financing – Public/Private Equity and Debt
- Risk Management
- International & Domestic Markets
- Treasury, Banking & Investments
- Inventory Costing & Management
In summary, utilize your resume real estate wisely to grab the readers attention; telling them who you are and what you can do for them. Learning how to sell “above the fold” is a very effective technique for achieving this goal.
Other blogs that may be of interest are “Resumes That Win” and “1 Unique Tip to Find an ‘A’ Player”.
About Talencio: We help the Health Technology community make progress by putting the right people in the right place to solve problems and identify opportunities to move healthcare forward. To learn more about career opportunities in health technology, or to hear how other companies have partnered with Talencio to tap into our skilled professional talent pool, contact us at 612.703.4236 or email. Talencio has been the preferred provider of vetted, accomplished professionals to the Health Technology Community for over 9 years.
References:
This is the Part of Your Resume That Recruiters Look at First
Resume Objective or Summary