UAE: Meet the résumé writer who helps people get their dream jobs

The résumé is, arguably, the most important document for professional branding. And yet, when many set out looking for jobs, they find it difficult to reimagine their résumé in a way that is attractive to the recruiter while truly summing up one’s career achievements. Sharjah resident Rakhee Mansukhani started Your Résumé Writer way back in 2021 after losing her job during the pandemic. It is not something she considers a chore or a job that needs to be done to pay bills. The 43-year-old is passionate about crafting résumés to the point of finding it “therapeutic”.

“When you redesign an ugly résumé into a good one and people end up getting a job, you feel fulfilled. I am a single parent. I remember when I was looking for a job, no one really helped me. So every month, apart from my regular clients, I craft résumés for single mothers,” says Rakhee. “I may not be able to help them monetarily, but this I can do.”

Rakhee also debunks the ease with which we use curriculum vitae and résumé interchangeably. Résumé, she says, is meant to be short (“one page or two at most”), while curriculum vitae is meant to document your professional journey and can hence be longer. In that, there are further categories. Chronological résumé, for example, lists out work experience in reverse order.

A functional résumé spotlights skills over work history, which makes it ideal for those who have taken a career break. A combination résumé has aspects of both. An infographic résumé documents your professional journey visually. While a targeted résumé is tailored for specific job applicants. A video résumé has a short video introduction of the candidate. Portfolio résumé includes samples of your work. And mini résumé has a brief version of networking events a candidate has been a part of.

Tracking your résumé

Rakhee’s venture has packages for those who want to craft a résumé, covering letter and those who want their LinkedIn to get noticed. “A résumé is essentially your marketing tool. It is designed to help you secure an interview, not a job. So, for an interview, you still have to present your best self. I suggest that people must smell well, dress well, no chipped toes, all these things matter,” she says.

In the modern workplace, the heft of a résumé also depends on the kind of keywords used in it so that it stands out in an application tracking system (ATS). “No résumé can have a 100 per cent ATS value because every company uses a different software. After you apply for a job and don’t get selected for an interview, you may end up receiving a call the next time the company has a similar opening because its ATS has tracked your résumé and kept it aside. If you open Canva or Microsoft Word, there are templates for résumés. But those are not ATS qualified.”

But how does one find the right keywords? This is where social media (read LinkedIn) comes in handy. “LinkedIn is a place where one goes for networking these days. And while it may have become a matrimonial site, the companies who are looking for candidates on LinkedIn give job descriptions and key responsibilities. We scan those keywords and integrate them in our résumé,” says Rakhee, who has crafted more than 500 résumés thus far.

A case of format

Such was her passion to craft résumés that in 2021, Rakhee became a member of the US-based Professional Association of Résumé Writers. “In Middle East, formats are different,” she says. What Rakhee actually means is that in this region, mentioning date of birth and nationality is alright because of the cultural diversity. “When you apply for a job in the US, you cannot write your nationality. I make immigration CVs all the time where we do not mention nationality because it is believed to inspire racial bias. Immigration CVs are usually lengthy and have different formats. It is like a school exam paper.”

But isn’t LinkedIn the new online CV? “It is definitely liberating because it is not restricted to two pages. If you are looking for a job, you put on an ‘Open To Work’ badge, but this does not help if you are not expanding on your social connections. In the end, it is a place to network, and expand your professional contact base.” At the same time, while crafting a covering letter, Rakhee makes sure that she keeps the job title open. “Because a person who is an executive assistant can also apply for the position of an office manager or HR executive. In the covering letter, I essentially highlight their skills, what they have done and the keenness to join the organisation. All they have to do before applying is change the title.”

When it comes to putting the photos on résumés, Rakhee says it is pretty much a personal choice. The mistake candidates often make, however, is putting the same keyword again and again. “I once had a client who kept repeating certain keywords in her résumé because she had seen a video that suggested repeating keywords was necessary. Even if you put it out 10 times, the recruiting system will register it only once. Also, a résumé is always written in second person — implemented, executed, managed, these are the action words that HR managers actually read.”

So, is it a skill, after all? Rakhee’s passion for revamping résumés certainly suggests so. But this passion doesn’t end with crafting résumés. Seeing someone get a job they’re able to support their family with is an ultimate high. “There are some basics that I keep suggesting to my clients. For example, always apply for a job between 8am and 3pm. If you spot a posting after that, wait till the next day to apply. And refrain from sending CVs during the weekend. You want your résumé to be on top of the recruiter’s inbox,” she signs off.

You can reach out to Rakhee Mansukhani on www.yourresumewriter.com

anamika@khaleejtimes.com

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