Learn how to ensure your resume is in great shape for your next career move.
By Rebecca Lubecki
In the facilities management industry, there is a vast potential for career options for Multi-Site facilities managers (FMs). In fact, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that FM positions will grow 5% by 2032, faster than the average for all occupations. And while you may think you’re finished with job searching, it’s still worth checking in on your resume and network to take advantage of the possibilities available for your career path.
Elisha Gordon, a ConnexFM Young Professionals Committee member, is a National Search Consultant with MetroSeek, an executive search and consulting firm. Gordon works regularly with FMs to help them find new career opportunities.
“You want to have a professional and well-designed resume,” Gordon said, “because if you're not going to go through a professional executive search firm, this is your potential employer's only first impression of you. How are you trying to present yourself?”
Keeping Options Open
Gordon also emphasizes the importance of keeping your resume up to date. Even if you are not looking for a job, being prepared for an unexpected opportunity always pays. A recruiter may reach out with an offer too good to refuse, and it’s essential to respond quickly.
“As a recruiter, I'm going to be honest with you: I can't wait a couple of weeks for you to put your resume together,” she said. “At that point, it's likely that I've found multiple other candidates who will be a fit for that position. You've completely missed the boat.”
Other reasons for keeping an updated resume on hand include being ready to apply for a promotion within your current company or being prepared during a layoff.
“If you're laid off, they usually shut off access to all your systems. So, it’s important to keep it up to date all the time. Even if you're not looking for something new, you never know what will happen.”
All in the Details
So, how do resumes differ for FM professionals? According to Gordon, not too much. She recommends sticking with tried-and-true best practices to take resumes to the next level.
“The main thing with a resume is you want to keep it short, sweet and to the point. A resume should have your most recent role at the top and go backward,” Gordon said.
It also helps to have actionable bullet points with numbers tailored to the position you are applying for. A resume should be more than just a bulleted list of responsibilities.
“Your resume should be accomplishments. Give the reader a reason to pick up the phone and call you. Quantify your accomplishments,” she said.
“So, if you're a salesperson and sold $3.2 million last year in new business, that should be in your resume,” Gordon continued. “If you are responsible for $14 million in revenue or manage three other employees, include that. If you saved the company money, how much? Did you hit your goal? Exceed your goal? Those are accomplishments. Are you an account manager responsible for 300 locations for a specific client? Put that in there.”
There are still other ways to emphasize your skill set when applying for different positions in the FM industry.
“For example, if you're applying for a project management position, attention to detail will be an important quality,” Gordon said. “If you have spelling errors and missing punctuation, it's clear that you lack the attention to detail required to do the job. So just like how your appearance should be put together when you go in for a face-to-face interview, your resume should be, too.”
However, while details and numbers matter, it’s essential to make sure your resume is still relevant to the job you’re applying for. Don’t list something to add another flashy number or fill space.
“It's very tempting to list everything you've ever done in your career, but nobody wants to read it all,” Gordon said. “Keep the resume short, specifically using bullet points to break up the lines to make it easier to read. That way, when I read your resume, I should be left wanting more.”
Going Beyond the Resume
After updating your resume, Gordon recommended having someone close to you review it, even if they’re in a different industry, to catch typos, ask questions and more. Gordon is also happy to help with resume reviews for fellow ConnexFM members.
“A resume is always going to be secondary to my work. It's important to have a relationship with a recruiter who has relationships within the industry because we can connect you with opportunities that may not be available otherwise.”