6 Tips to Make Your Resume a Marketing Document of YOU!

Did you know that a resume is a marketing document? It is a marketing document of YOU! However, just like all disciplines, marketing is a learned skill set, and incredibly important to learn in order to develop resumes that stand above the competition and be chosen for the job. Learn how to apply 6 proven marketing principles to your resume to be chosen for that important next step, the interview.

4/10/20252 min read

99% of individuals do not realize that your resume is really a marketing document. But if you follow best practices of excellent marketing principles such as the ones below, you will create a resume that will stand above the competition and get you to the all-important interview:

You need a marketing message
The message is quick to the point in less than 7 seconds
The message is differentiated, and ideally compelling
The format is easy to understand using UI/UX principles
Measurable proof of accomplishments
Optimized for ATS (Applicant Tracking System)

Marketing Message

A marketing collateral or screen quickly conveys why a product or service is worth choosing. Similarly, your resume should clearly communicate why you are the right candidate. Many college resumes leave the reader guessing, leading to frustration and disinterest. To stand out, the top of resume must explicitly tell your story and make a compelling case for moving to the next step . . the interview. It's like an elevator pitch but shorter.

You Have 7 Seconds

Recruiters receive hundreds of applications within a week of a job posting and quickly scan resumes to decide if they’re worth a closer look. The TOP HALF of your resume is the most critical section—it must capture attention within just seven seconds. At Bright Light Careers, we use tricks like visual cues for job titles as well as strong Executive Summary to help you immediately convey your value and market message.

Being Differentiated and Compelling

Most resumes fall apart on this important marketing principle stating "Here's what I've done". That is not the question you should be answering. The question that the recruiter is trying to find and answer on your resume is "Here's what I can do for you". If you are using the Executive Summary to state your responsibilities and activities, then you have failed to differentiate yourself from applicants who have had the same role as you.

Make It Easy to Read

Recruiters and hiring managers review hundreds of resumes per job posting, so making key information easy to absorb helps yours stand out. In the tech world, this is called UI/UX design —a critical aspect of software application development. Similarly, your resume should feature clear formatting, and a logical structure tailored to your target role. A tech resume focused on engineering, for example, should be designed completely differently than one for a marketing position.

Measurable Proof of Accomplishments

You can use ChatGPT or other Gen AI tools to help generate your resume, but they don't know you and what you've accomplished. In the world of Gen AI, garbage in = garbage out.

At Bright Light Careers, we spend an hour or more interviewing our clients to extract important key activities that they wouldn't even know to include in their resume. You need proof to show the recruiter how you can help their organization in the same manner as you have before.

Because recruiters and hiring managers review hundreds of resumes per job posting, they use tools like Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to help whittle down the number of applicants to a manageable level. What ATS does is perform keyword matches between the resume and the job description. It is important those keywords are in your resume in a format that ATS can read. For instance, ATS struggle with column-based formats. We use a vertical bar or pipe to help distinguish key words that ATS can easily find.