Here is another valuable Management Tip of the Day from Harvard Business Review. To sign up for a free subscription to any/all HBR newsletters, please click here.

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The first 15–20 words of your resume are the most important – that’s how long you usually have a hiring manager’s attention.

So start with a very brief summary of your expertise. You can expand on your experience further down and in your cover letter. Your opening summary just needs to make clear that you have what it takes to get the job done.

It should have a descriptor or job title like “Information security specialist who…” that matches what the company is looking for. For example:

o “Healthcare executive with over 25 years of experience leading providers of superior patient care.”

o “Strategy and business development executive with substantial experience designing, leading, and implementing a broad range of corporate growth and realignment initiatives.”

And be sure to avoid clichés. Using platitudes in your summary or anywhere else in the document is akin to saying “I’m not more valuable than anyone else.”

Adapted from “How to Write a Resume That Stands Out” by Amy Gallo.

To check out that resource and join the discussion, please click here.

https://hbr.org/2014/12/how-to-write-a-resume-that-stands-out

Also, you may wish to check out an anthology, Management Tips from Harvard Business Review, by clicking here.