Speak to the Least Experienced Person (in your field) on the Hiring Panel

I work with a lot of clients who have extremely specialized experience – data scientists, research associates, programmers, Service Members, etc. – and I have a piece of advice that I give no matter what field they are in: communicate your experience as if you are speaking to the least knowledgeable person (in your field) on a hiring panel.

When I work with a clients in highly specialized fields, I put myself into the mindset of a person sitting on a hiring panel who is not an expert in the same things as my client, which is not too challenging given that I’m generally not an expert in their field! With that mindset, I make sure that the information in the resume is likely to resonate with that person. Doing this ensures that no matter who is part of the hiring process, every person can quickly grasp my client's qualifications and recognize the unique value that they represent.

If you are in a highly specialized field and are finding it hard to communicate your experience in lay terms, you might benefit form getting help from an outsider.