Even if you have been job searching for years, you may not have heard of the 5 Ps of a resume. They are: Professionalism, Presentation, Personal Branding, Positioning, and Pitch. They are essential to your overall impression as a candidate and your chances of getting the job rests heavily on these factors.
Professionalism
Professionalism basically covers how your relevant skills and experiences match the job description. It is crucial to go over the job description a few times before tailoring your resume. Employers and recruiters often are interested in candidates who are the most prepared for the role. This translates to minimal training needed should the candidate receives a job offer.
Personal Branding
Personal branding highlights your unique value proposition. To put it shortly a unique value proposition measures how well you are able to solve the customer's problems, delivers needed benefits, and puts the company above its competitors. The focus should be on benefits, and NOT features. Companies as a whole are generally not interested in knowing the features.
Positioning
Positioning defines who you are as a potential employee and where you will fit in the company should you get hired. Your main experiences must align with the objective/ It is best to get a friend or relative to proofread your resume to make sure your skills match that of the job requirements.
Presentation
Presentation is all about making the best possible first impression. Studies have shown the most effective way to accomplish this is to pay attention to the details. It is not enough to say ' helped my team get assignments done on time', but instead you should think about how much more effort it would have taken the team if you weren't a part of it.
Pitch
Pitch is the brief summary at the top of your resume which highlights the most important skills for the job. It should be concise, articulate, and aligns with the job description. Each point should be independent of each other. For example, you may say " able to communicate clearly to teammates and supervisors" and "demonstrated high levels of organization skills needed to meet complex tasks".
Key Take
Keeping in mind these 5Ps will make your resume stand out among a sea of competitors. In today's market this is crucial to your career goals. The 5Ps will be the key to a guaranteed positive first impression.