Regardless of the number of pages written, your resume and cover letter often end up rejected. Well, it seems like your job search documents lack something. And probably what they lack is value. Sure, you might be well-versed in your craft, but the chances of getting rejected are high if your resume doesn’t tell the reader a success story.
So, what is a value-focused statement, and how to make one? Check answers from our Skillhub experts in the article below.
What is a Value-Focused Statement?
A value-focused statement is an information in your resume or cover letter that persuades a recruiter of your value as a job candidate. Value-focused statements are commonly a part of the Experience and Skills sections. But what it resume writing experts would tell you is that a well-tailored resume or a cover letter contains value-focused statements in all sections.
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Did you know that a recruiter needs only 6-8 seconds to decide whether your resume is worth reading? Yeap, what happens nowadays is that a hiring manager would ‘scan’ your resume before they read it.
Recruiters pick the data like numbers, names of the companies, data organized in lists (for instance, the Skills section), and any other data that one’s eye catches in the first few seconds of reading and decide whether your resume is worth reading later.
How to Write a Value-Focused Statement
Keep Your Resume and Cover Letter Relevant
In other words, tailor them specifically to the job you’re looking for. If the job position places high value on communication skills, list them in the Hard Skills subsection. Further, list the data in the Experience section related to how communication skills helped you achieve your job goals.
Give Yourself Time
Don’t rush it. Before writing value-focused statements, give yourself plenty of time to do it. Sure, you might want to write a resume in an hour if you’re in dire need of a job, but the general advice is that writing a letter might take days – unless you want to delegate the entire turmoil to a resume-writing specialist visit zety reviews for more info..
Perfect the Summary Section
The Summary section is the first thing a recruiter sees in the resume apart from the candidate’s photo and Contacts section. Whether it’s an Objective or a Summary, ensure it includes the core data that can interest the recruiter.
Also, keep the Summary structured. List your hard skills, mention your years in the industry, and briefly list your core achievements.
Focus on the Experience Section
One of the most value-focused statements is the Experience section, especially its Key Achievements subsection. We advise you to divide the Experience section into Key Responsibilities and Key Achievements.
Ensure that both subsections include the data relevant to the job you’re applying for. If the company needs a florist, there is a high chance they’ll omit reading the subsection about you working as a clothes consultant unless this experience aligns with the job responsibilities and highlights other skills required for getting hired for that specific job position.
Work on the Cover Letter
Having a resume is great, but for most recruiters, that is the bare minimum. If you genuinely want to impress the recruiter, add a cover letter.
Again, ensure that your cover letter is tailored specifically for the job position you’re applying for. Otherwise, there is no value in it.
One of the value-focused statements in a cover letter is a candidate expressing interest in the first paragraph. Here, ensure your explanation aligns with the company’s mission and culture. In the following sections, focus on the qualifications and how they can benefit the company.
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Add Numbers
Numbers speak loud. And it’s not only the value the numbers bring. It’s also because numbers are one of the first data pieces a human eye catches. That’s why we advise you to start with them.
What are the numbers in resumes and cover letters? Mention the years spent in the industry, date of college graduation, number of projects completed, your job efficiency in percentage, etc.
Speak Active Language and Keywords
Before writing a resume, analyze the job ad you’re applying for. Identify and use the professional words mentioned in the ad when preparing the job search package.
Use professional verbs when describing job responsibilities. For instance, candidates applying for designer positions might benefit from using active verbs like ‘created,’ ‘designed,’ ‘conceptualized,’ ‘innovated,’ etc. The same goes for nouns and adjectives.
Both active language and keywords might be used to beat the applicant tracking system or ATS. Not everyone knows, but before a resume lands in the recruiter’s hands, it goes through the ATS system that identifies whether it has enough professional keywords. That’s true for cover letters as well.
Keep It Short
Ideally, a resume is 1-2 pages long, and the cover letter is 0.5-1 page. Remember that modern recruiters don’t spend their time reading all documents they receive. They’d instead scan the document and, based on the first impression (6-8 seconds, remember?), decide whether reading the entire resume is worth it.
Final Thoughts
Adding value-focused statements to a resume or a cover letter is a great way to increase the chances of nailing a job. Add numbers and active verbs, perfect the Experience and Skills sections, and don’t forget to write a cover letter.
We hope the article was helpful to you. If you’re still unhappy with your resume and cover letter, we’re here to help you. Let professional resume writing service help you win your first dream job!
FAQ
What is a value-focused statement?
A value-focused statement is information in your resume or cover letter highlighting your skills, experience, and education.
How can value-focused statements win me a job?
Value-focused statements can win you a job by serving as proof of professionalism and helping you highlight the skills and experience that make you stand out from the crowd.
What should my value-focused statements include?
Ensure they focus on the data that might be helpful to the recruiter, such as experience, skills, and education.
