This ONE thing is missing from your resume...

Resume writing is one of the most subjective topics in job hunting. 

I'm always asked for advice on what makes a great resume and, to be honest, there are many different opinions, all of them valid.

Problem is, you can tie yourself up in knots trying to work out what the perfect resume looks like.

The advice I give my clients is this: 

It is a sales document first and foremost. Not just a list of your experience and achievements.

Looking at it through the lens of being a sales document can change how you view what to include. 

And with this in mind, there is one thing that is likely missing from your resume that you absolutely MUST include.

Never forget this line

The ONE thing you must include is a Context Line.

A Context Line is a line that gives context to where you have worked and the scope of the role you had.

Not everyone reading your resume will know the company you have worked for. And even if they do, they may not know the scope of the role you had.

A Context Line quickly gives the reader all the context they need - without having to go looking for it. AND it gives you a fantastic opportunity to sell your experience.

My Clients Example

Here’s where the idea of a Context Line came from. 

My client shared with me her resume. The most recent role was Marketing Manager.

She listed the name of the company, the dates she had worked there and the job title. And then listed her achievements. 

Here is what it looked like:

XYZ Company 2018-2022

Marketing Manager

Very simple. And what most people have on their resume.

The Problem

Problem was, I knew the details of the job she had been doing. And this very simple description did not do justice to the size of her role or the company. 

It did nothing to SELL her experience. 

She may have been officially called Marketing Manager. But I knew that she looked after the whole of Europe. I also knew she was the only marketing person in Europe and reported directly to the CMO in the United States.

Plus, this was not an insignificant company. I’d never heard of them but they were a listed US company and employed over 5000 people worldwide.

We needed to include this context in my clients resume. 

The Solution

The solution to this on a resume is to add a Context Line.

Here is the Context Line we added to my clients resume:

A listed US company, with an annual turnover of $5B and 5000 employees worldwide; responsible for the whole European region, a $3M USD marketing budget, reporting directly to the US-based CMO. 

Another way to write this would be:

A listed US company, with an annual turnover of $5B and 5000 employees worldwide.

Reporting: Direct to the US-based CMO

Region: Responsible for all of Europe 

Budget: $3M USD 

Now, before you come at me, yes, it’s ok to have more than one line :-) 

If you have lots of context to add, splitting the information out as per my second example might make more sense.

Either way, hopefully you can see why adding the Context Line(s) helps to create relevance, scope and really sell the role you have been doing.

Do this for every role

Even if the role or company isn’t big, you can still find context to bring the role to life. This is the SELLING part of your resume. Find the details that give context and help to sell your experience.

Here’s some starter Context Lines:

1. The fastest growing… 
2. Annual turnover of XXX
3. Global Marketing team in over XX countries
4. Managing budget of XXX
5. Award winning…
6. The UK’s Number 1…

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