The Power of Visualization and Your Resume
The key to unlocking your dream career
You’re approaching your resume all wrong!
Most applicants use their resume as a document to reflect their past work experience, role titles, and skillsets.
You don’t want your resume to have this effect on recruiters.
Your resume should be future-focused.
What if I told you that your resume should be future-focused instead of retrospective?
I know, I know, that flies in the face of what traditional resume writers encourage.
Good thing for you; I’m anything but a traditional resume writer.
I believe in the power of visualization, the practice of imagining (in detail) your ideal future in order to make it a reality.
Before you dismiss the concept as woo-woo, let’s dive into the science behind career path visualization.
Our minds are mighty, and when we set our minds to a targeted goal, we can make the seemingly impossible, possible.
Have you heard of Hermes? He was an ancient spiritual philosopher that studied the mysteries of our universe.
His principle of mentalism states that our thoughts shape our reality. For us to accomplish anything, a thought must precede action.
Sounds basic, but it is an incredibly insightful practice. Visualizing your future allows you to work backward and create an action plan for achievement.
If you can imagine it, you can create it!
Let’s take a moment to practice.
For the next minute, picture yourself in your dream role. Really picture it. Note the details of your workspace, your coworkers’ background chatter, and the details of the space around you.
Are windows allowing the sun to soak your desk? What does the space smell like (freshly brewed coffee, flowers, your boss-bitch perfume)? What are you working on? What are you wearing? How do you feel?
The human mind doesn’t differentiate between an intensely imagined visual and the real thing.
For a moment, you were in that dream role, in your new office, straight up killing it!
Visualization allows us to imagine a positive future where we’ve achieved our goals and are thriving.
In turn, it makes us optimistic about our future!
Optimism is a powerful energy driver, and a study in the journal Clinical Practice and Epidemiology in Mental Health uncovered that optimistic people are mentally and physically healthier. When optimistic, people are better at handling stressful situations and are better problem solvers.
Those optimistic about their careers are more likely to seek learning opportunities, pursue experiences to further their desired career, and are less inhibited by career setbacks.
These actions lead to desirable career outcomes like job satisfaction and career growth.
So, how does your resume fit into all this?
Your resume is a tangible document that reflects how your past accomplishments have paved the way for your future success.
Your resume is NOT simply a list of all you’ve achieved, but rather, a blueprint of everything you’re capable of.
Knowing where you want to be makes the entire resume writing process so much easier.
Your resume should describe precisely where you want to be and use your experiences to prove your future success.
A powerful resume starts with your end goal in mind. Where do you want to be, and what do you want to be doing?
Crafting your future becomes much easier when you clearly envision what you want to achieve.
You can work backward from your target goal and align your past experiences with the skillsets necessary to succeed in that position.
Visualizing yourself in the target role unlocks the necessary actions to get you there. This is especially powerful for those pivoting industries or leveling up in their career.
Yes, I wish we could simply imagine our ideal futures and be there upon opening our eyes.
But visualization is simply the key to opening the door of possibility. The rest is up to you!
How to create a resume using visualization
Start with a detailed vision of your end goal.
What type of role do you want? What will your impact be? Understanding exactly who you will be in that role allows you to identify your value proposition: why you are uniquely positioned to thrive in that role.Draw connections between your past experiences and your future success.
Identify what defines success for your dream role. Now, working backward, identify examples from your career demonstrating your ability to achieve those results. Focus on your actions and go deeper than your skillsets. Pull specific examples that showcase how you’ve accomplished similar outcomes.Dig deep to identify your differentiated positioning statement.
Located at the top of your resume, your positioning statement is the star of the show. It concisely highlights your personal brand, the value you bring, and how your experiences and perspective have primed you for the role. Think of your positioning statement as a snapshot of your soul; it should be as unrepeatable as you are!Use active voice + be concise!
When laying out the proof points of your career, use action verbs. Active voice is easier to read and more engaging, which is vital for those quickly reading your resume. Cut extraneous words to emphasize the point you’re proving.
For example,
Responsible for creating visual designs for digital assets BAD
Designed engaging visual content for digital assets, resulting in a 40% increase in web traffic GOOD
Increased web traffic 40% by designing engaging visual assets BEST
Visualization is a practice, meaning its power lies in repetition.
Before, during, and after crafting your resume, take time to picture yourself in this new role.
Imagine what your first day will look like, how you’ll tackle challenges, and how you’ll make a lasting impact on your field.
Try visualizing your future career before bed, as it helps your subconscious process the goals you’ve set for yourself. The more integrated your imagined future becomes with your current self, the easier it will be to take the next steps forward.
Repeatedly placing yourself in the future you want brings you closer to fulfilling your dreams.
Remember, to your brain, there is no difference between a detailed imagining and reality.
Visualization is a superpower, and your resume is a tangible representation of everything you’re about to achieve.
Want to create a resume that turns your dream career into your daily reality? Work with me.