Lessons from Journalism Applied to Resume and LinkedIn Writing
“Never bury the lead” is a common phrase from journalism. Burying it can cause a reader to lose interest and stop reading. Actually, the term is “lede” but after years of working as an executive resume writer, I no longer recall why so we will run with lead for purposes of this article!
In a news story, the “lead” is the first few sentences that quickly convey the gist of the story.
When done right, a lead allows the reader to scan and get a clear idea of what the story is about, and “hook” the reader to entice them to read further. Share on XHarnessing my undergraduate degree in journalism and a background that includes writing as part of a corporate communications team and writing articles online and in print, one of my key weapons in facilitating skim reads of resumes and LinkedIn profiles is to incorporate this lesson from Journalism 101.
There are three areas where leads get buried within LinkedIn profiles and resumes. Here’s how to transform a buried lead into one that hooks the reader and compels them to continue on:
SUMMARY or ABOUT SECTION
The point of this section is to show the reader how you are ideally suited for a role.
Burying the lead, in this case, can refer to omitting this section altogether, or filling it with adjective-rich, generic phrasing.
Don’t make the reader have to figure it out by diving into your experience. Show them right off the bat with a section at the top that tells the reader how you are ideally suited for a role.
How? Refer to job qualifications and include phrasing that aligns with the requirements listed. Weave in details that are unique to you.
Here’s an example from a resume:
BURIED LEAD:
Sales professional with a strong and proven track record of results.
LEAD THAT HOOKS THE READER:
Medical device sales leader grows revenues 43% in 15 months and turns around bottom-ranked territory to #2 ranked in less than one year.
EXPERIENCE SECTION
It happens time and time again. Resumes and LinkedIn profiles of accomplished professionals who start their description of each job experience by providing an overview summary, followed by a list of responsibilities and sometimes ending with achievements.
Flip this formula on its head to avoid burying the lead. In other words, lead with the achievement, ideally one of your proudest. This formula allows the reader to see right off the bat something powerful accomplished in each role.
BURIED LEAD:
Coordinated efforts of team of 50 investment bankers, attorneys, internal IT, tax and accounting teams; regularly reported progress to Board of Directors.
LEAD THAT HOOKS THE READER:
Stood up Treasury team within weeks of spinoff and mitigated $4B inherited pension liability risk.
JOB DESCRIPTION
When it comes to crafting bullets to describe your job, burying the lead means placing the most powerful part of your achievement at the end of the sentence.
Front-loading, the art of placing the most impactful phrasing at the beginning, at best allows you to entice the reader to read the entire bullet. At worst, it makes sure the most critical part of your bullet gets read before the reader moves on.
BURIED LEAD:
Launched new drug and ranked #2 of 450 in three months.
LEAD THAT HOOKS THE READER:
Attained #2/450 ranking for new drug launch within three months.
TAKE A LESSON FROM JOURNALISM
Applying these principles from journalism will hook your reader from the get-go, help them quickly grasp the gist of your career story, and wow them throughout with impactful achievements.
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