Over the summer, I learned to sail on my sister Alice’s 38’ sailboat, True Blue III.

This was especially meaningful because it was Blue that safely carried Alice and her 2 crew during their 14-month global circumnavigation (8.5 months at sea), which began (2012) and ended (2014) in Hawaii. This, after a “test” run from British Columbia to Hawaii in 2011.

Of course, there are others who’ve sailed around the world. But there are some things that stand out about Alice and her crew:

She and her crew were all 50+ year-old women.

She completed the circumnavigation because she built her strong team around their complementary skills.

She was an expert on boat mechanics and maintenance (when was the last time you heard about that skill in the context of glamorous sailing stories?)

I already knew Alice was highly skilled at boat handling. But, being in her environment at sea, I was also reminded that she’s a patient yet no-nonsense leader, with the crew’s safety as her highest priority.

The rest of us don’t have to take such extraordinary measures to set ourselves apart. I’m using Alice as an example to show you that—even in the sailing world—people have skills that distinguish them from each other. (And yes…I’m also sharing because I’m deeply proud of her 😁.)

Now, let’s get busy…

📃 AI isn’t the tool for raising your profile.

If something seems too good to be true, it usually is.

I worry that Gen Z especially is risking commoditization due to their reliance on ChatGPT and similar apps to write their resumes.

AI makes a great assistant and copyeditor. But it shouldn’t be promoted to a leadership role when it comes to telling your unique story.

Two years ago, I tested ChatGPT for resume writing. It didn’t impress me then, and it still doesn’t.

💡 Pro tip: I’m not anti-AI, but please use it for specific purposes—such as suggestions for rewriting a line in your resume that’s stumping you, or highlighting the most important skills for a job posting. Be careful, though. I tested it recently to see which of a candidate’s experience matched a job posting’s requirements, and it gave the candidate credit for having skills that weren’t even on their resume.

🎨 Strategic use of style features makes reading easier.

Speaking of AI…

When I get Canva AI-designed resumes from job seekers, my first impression is typically, This is fancy, but where’s the substance?

You don’t need an app to create visual interest. Spiff up your Word-based resume by shading your section headings and bolding your role and company name. You can use a table to break out content sections. All of these Word features are applicant tracking system (ATS)-friendly—I promise.

You don’t need to go overboard. Just remember your purpose: To make your resume easier to skim than the competition’s.

⚠️There’s continued debate about whether a typical ATS can read a Canva-created resume, so be careful.

💡 Pro tip: Compelling content is the most important part of your resume. Gather and organize your achievements before you make major formatting changes, such as inserting a table. You want the format to serve your content…not the other way around.

🌟 A title that pops is the hook that captures the reader.

The top of your resume is the first place you get to grab the attention of your reader. Yet, often I see resumes that start with the headline “Executive Summary.”

Your reader will understand that the intro section is your career or executive summary—you don’t have to tell them. Instead, start with your title.

Your title could be as detailed as Award-winning Biotechnology People Leader or Corporate Sustainability Expert & In-Demand Keynote Speaker.

Or it could be as simple as VP of Global Operations or General Counsel.

The point is to communicate who you are and the job you want right at the start.

💡 Pro tip: If your current title is VP of Sales & Marketing, and that’s the role you’re applying for, by all means use that. But if your highest role is Director of Sales & Marketing and you want to avoid being confined to that level, use something like Sales & Marketing Leader.

🦄 There’s always something that sets you apart.

If you keep a record of your achievements, I guarantee that eventually you’ll uncover a common thread that distinguishes you. You may be a sales leader who’s unusually skilled at leading marketing or operations teams. Or an engineer who loves public speaking and knows how to break down technical ideas for the rest of us.

Uncover what your superpower is, and include that in your resume intro, your LinkedIn About section, and your interviews.

💡 Pro tip: if you have a side passion, include a line about that at the bottom of your resume. If there’s no room on your resume, be sure to include it in your LinkedIn About section. It’s amazing how often I’ve heard my clients say they’ve connected with their interviewers due to a shared interest.

🔎 Specifics give you an edge over vague adjectives and lists of responsibilities.

Someone recently asked me what the most overused descriptive word is that I see on resumes. The word driven immediately came to mind. Besides being common, it’s one of those words that doesn’t really convey to the recruiter anything about your skill set. Besides, if you’re a leader, you’re expected to be driven.

Instead of saying you’re driven, prove it by including hard data. For most roles, the recruiters expect to see results. The numbers don’t have to be financial; they could be percentages related to operational improvements or simple efficiency.

Another way to de-commoditize yourself is to replace words like responsible for with action verbs.

Using action verbs gives you more ownership, AND takes up less space.

Here’s an example:

Rather than:

Responsible for building…

Try:

Built…

If you kick off your bullet with a verb like Spearheaded, Improved, or simply Led, you’ll get to the point a lot quicker.

💡 Pro tip: Make it easy on yourself by tracking results and collecting feedback now, so you won’t have to rush if you find yourself in a position where you need a new job.

🌟 LinkedIn recommendations increase social credibility.

I know our focus is resumes here, but nothing reinforces what’s on your resume like what others have to say about you—and LinkedIn is the perfect place to showcase testimonials about your work. Tap into your network to ask for recommendations.

Cast a wide net; ask for 10 if you want 3. Nothing personal if some of your connections don’t respond. People are busy.

I coach clients to get recommendations from a 360 POV, such as direct reports, collaborators from different parts of the organization, and their own leaders.

Nothing says “servant leader” like a glowing review from one of your past employees.

💡 Pro tip: If you have space, you can include a testimonial (from LinkedIn or another source) in the body of your resume. Just not at the expense of your actual achievements.

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