Grab the Attention of Potential Employers With a Background Summary
The first two sentences of your resume signal to employers whether or not you are right for the job. Employers no longer want to know your “career objective.” Instead, employers want to see a two-sentence background summary. If done properly, the remainder of your resume will be read by potential employers. Do it wrong, and you’ll place yourself out of the running. To help you create a succinct background summary, here are two suggestions from recruitment experts.
George Jamison of Spencer Stuart states that the three most important attributes employers look for in management candidates are: strong hands-on skills, strategic thinking and leadership ability.
Dennis Spring of Spring Associates recommends that the two-sentence background summary should include the following:
- A candidate’s most prominent PR skills (i.e., writing, strategy, media relations).
- Niche specialty/categories (i.e., high-tech, consumer products, B2B)
- Industries they specialize in (i.e., health care, aeronautics, banking).
The background summary should not include any mention of personal attributes (i.e., persistent, collegial, conscientious). Save the personal accolades for the interview.
By Richard Spector, manager, Jobcenter and Client Services, Public Relations Society of America (PRSA).
Get connected with the largest community of public relations and communications professionals at PRSA’s Jobcenter. Whether you are posting a job or job hunting in community relations, corporate communications, public affairs or any communications sector, the PRSA Jobcenter connects you with more than 77,000 potential employees, including 22,000 PRSA members and nearly 10,000 PRSSA students. View more than 1,000 communications jobs, public relations and other career-related opportunities and professionals at www.prsa.org/jobcenter today!
As someone looking to make the jump from journalist to PR executive, I’m wondering if you have any advice as to the best way to go about it and possibly the names of some good headhunters. I’m based in Los Angeles.
Thanks so much