Best Resume Projects for a Content Strategist

Landing a Content Strategist role requires more than just listing your past jobs. It demands showcasing projects that highlight your strategic thinking, content expertise, and impact. This isn’t a generic resume guide; it’s about crafting a narrative that resonates with hiring managers actively seeking someone who can drive content strategy, not just execute tasks. By the end of this guide, you’ll have a clear understanding of which projects to feature, how to frame them for maximum impact, and the metrics that will make your resume stand out. You’ll walk away with a blueprint for showcasing your strategic abilities, not just your tactical skills.

What You’ll Get From This Guide

• A rubric to score your existing projects and identify the most impactful ones to feature.
• Proven frameworks for articulating your strategic approach and the results you achieved.
• Examples of compelling bullet points that showcase your strategic thinking and content expertise.
• A checklist to ensure your resume highlights the right skills and experience for a Content Strategist role.
• A plan to quantify the impact of your projects using metrics that resonate with hiring managers.
• A strategy to address potential weaknesses or gaps in your experience.

The Scope: What This Is and What It Isn’t

• This is: A guide to selecting and framing your best Content Strategist projects on your resume.
• This isn’t: A general resume writing guide or a collection of generic resume templates.

What a Hiring Manager Scans for in 15 Seconds

Hiring managers quickly scan for evidence of strategic thinking, not just content creation skills. They need to see that you can develop and execute content strategies that drive business results. Here’s what they look for:

• Strategic Planning: Can you develop a content strategy aligned with business goals?
• Content Audits: Have you assessed existing content and identified opportunities for improvement?
• Content Mapping: Can you map content to the customer journey?
• Content Governance: Have you established guidelines and processes for content creation and maintenance?
• Performance Analysis: Can you track and analyze content performance to inform future strategy?
• Stakeholder Alignment: Have you collaborated with stakeholders to ensure content aligns with their needs?

The Mistake That Quietly Kills Candidates

Listing tasks instead of showcasing strategic impact is a common mistake. It makes you look like an executor, not a strategist. The fix is to reframe your experience to highlight your strategic contributions and the results you achieved. For example, instead of saying “Managed social media accounts,” say “Developed and executed a social media strategy that increased engagement by 30% and drove a 15% increase in website traffic.”

Use this when rewriting your resume bullets.
Developed and executed a content strategy for [Project] that resulted in a [Quantifiable Result], demonstrating my ability to drive [Business Goal].

Project Categories That Showcase Content Strategy Prowess

Focus on projects that demonstrate your ability to think strategically and drive results. Here are some categories to consider:

• Content Strategy Development: Projects where you developed a content strategy from scratch.
• Content Audits and Analysis: Projects where you assessed existing content and identified opportunities for improvement.
• Content Migration and Optimization: Projects where you migrated or optimized content to improve performance.
• Content Marketing Campaigns: Projects where you developed and executed content marketing campaigns.
• Content Governance and Standards: Projects where you established content governance guidelines and standards.
• Content Personalization and Targeting: Projects where you personalized or targeted content to specific audiences.

How to Frame Your Projects for Maximum Impact

Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your project descriptions. This helps you tell a compelling story that highlights your strategic contributions and the results you achieved. For example:

Situation: The company needed to increase brand awareness and generate leads.

Task: Develop and execute a content marketing strategy.

Action: Conducted keyword research, created a content calendar, and developed high-quality blog posts, infographics, and videos.

Result: Increased website traffic by 50%, generated 100 qualified leads, and improved brand awareness by 25%.

Metrics That Matter to Hiring Managers

Quantify the impact of your projects using metrics that resonate with hiring managers. Here are some metrics to consider:

• Website Traffic: Increased website traffic, page views, and time on site.
• Engagement: Increased social media engagement, comments, shares, and likes.
• Lead Generation: Generated qualified leads, increased conversion rates, and reduced cost per lead.
• Sales: Increased sales revenue, customer acquisition, and customer retention.
• Brand Awareness: Improved brand awareness, brand sentiment, and brand loyalty.

Showcasing Strategic Skills, Not Just Tactical Execution

The best projects show how you solved a business problem with content. Don’t just list what you did. Show *why* you did it and what impact it had. For example, instead of “Wrote blog posts,” say “Developed a blog content strategy that increased organic traffic by 40% by targeting long-tail keywords and addressing customer pain points, leading to a 15% increase in qualified leads.”

Example 1: Revamping a Website for SEO

This project demonstrates strategic thinking and SEO expertise. A Content Strategist redesigned a company website to improve SEO performance and user experience. The project involved conducting a content audit, identifying keyword opportunities, optimizing existing content, and creating new content. As a result, the website’s organic traffic increased by 75%, and its search engine rankings improved significantly.

Example 2: Developing a Content Marketing Strategy for a Product Launch

This project showcases your ability to develop and execute a content marketing strategy. A Content Strategist developed a content marketing strategy for a new product launch. The project involved conducting market research, identifying target audiences, creating a content calendar, and developing various content formats, including blog posts, videos, and social media updates. As a result, the product launch generated significant buzz, and sales exceeded expectations.

Example 3: Leading a Content Migration Project

This project demonstrates your ability to manage complex projects and ensure content quality. A Content Strategist led a content migration project, moving content from an outdated CMS to a new platform. The project involved auditing existing content, developing a migration plan, training content creators, and ensuring content quality and consistency. As a result, the migration was completed on time and within budget, and the new platform improved content discoverability and user experience.

If You Only Do 3 Things: Content Strategist Resume Edition

Prioritize these actions to make your resume pop. If you’re short on time, focus on these three critical steps:

• Reframe your experience: Focus on strategic contributions and results, not just tasks.
• Quantify your impact: Use metrics to demonstrate the value you brought to each project.
• Showcase strategic skills: Highlight your ability to develop and execute content strategies.

Quiet Red Flags Hiring Managers Notice

These subtle mistakes can derail your application. Avoid these common pitfalls:

• Vague language: Using generic terms without providing specifics.
• Lack of metrics: Failing to quantify the impact of your projects.
• Task-oriented descriptions: Focusing on tasks instead of strategic contributions.
• Irrelevant experience: Including projects that are not relevant to the Content Strategist role.

Language Bank for Content Strategist Resume Success

Use these phrases to highlight your strategic abilities. Incorporate these into your bullet points and project descriptions:

• Developed and executed a content strategy
• Conducted a content audit and analysis
• Optimized content for SEO and user experience
• Managed content migration projects
• Established content governance guidelines
• Collaborated with stakeholders to align content with business goals

What a Strong Content Strategist Resume Looks Like

Here’s a checklist to ensure your resume is top-notch. Use this as a guide to assess your resume and identify areas for improvement:

• Strategic Contributions: Highlight your strategic contributions and the results you achieved.
• Quantifiable Impact: Use metrics to demonstrate the value you brought to each project.
• Relevant Experience: Focus on projects that are relevant to the Content Strategist role.
• Clear and Concise Language: Use clear and concise language to describe your experience.
• Action-Oriented Verbs: Start each bullet point with an action-oriented verb.

FAQ

What are the most important skills for a Content Strategist to highlight on their resume?

The most important skills to highlight are strategic thinking, content planning, content creation, SEO, analytics, and stakeholder management. These skills demonstrate your ability to develop and execute content strategies that drive business results. For example, a Content Strategist can demonstrate strategic thinking by showcasing projects where they analyzed market trends and customer needs to develop a content plan that increased website traffic by 40%.

How can I quantify the impact of my content strategy projects?

Use metrics to demonstrate the value you brought to each project. Metrics such as website traffic, engagement, lead generation, sales, and brand awareness can help you quantify your impact. When you present a project, include the specific metrics that show the results. For example, “Increased website traffic by 50%,” or “Generated 100 qualified leads.”

What if I don’t have experience in all areas of Content Strategy?

Focus on the areas where you do have experience and highlight your willingness to learn and grow. You can also showcase relevant skills and experience from other roles. Highlight any training or certifications you have completed. If you lack experience in a specific area, like SEO, consider taking an online course and then executing a small project to gain some hands-on experience.

How long should my resume be?

Aim for a one-page resume if you have less than 10 years of experience. If you have more than 10 years of experience, a two-page resume is acceptable. Focus on including the most relevant and impactful information. Prioritize the most recent and relevant experiences, and cut anything that doesn’t directly support your candidacy.

Should I include a portfolio on my resume?

Yes, including a portfolio can be a great way to showcase your content strategy skills. Include links to your best work, such as blog posts, articles, videos, and presentations. Ensure your portfolio is well-organized and easy to navigate. When you link to your portfolio, make sure it includes the content you’re referencing on your resume.

How can I tailor my resume to a specific Content Strategist job?

Carefully review the job description and identify the key skills and experience the employer is seeking. Then, tailor your resume to highlight those skills and experience. Use keywords from the job description throughout your resume. Focus on the projects and accomplishments that are most relevant to the specific job.

What should I do if I have gaps in my employment history?

Be honest and transparent about any gaps in your employment history. You can explain the reason for the gap in your cover letter or during the interview. Focus on what you did during the gap, such as volunteering, freelancing, or taking courses. Reframe the gap as a period of personal or professional development.

How can I make my resume stand out from the competition?

Focus on showcasing your unique skills and experience. Quantify your impact with metrics, and tailor your resume to each specific job. Use a clean and professional design, and proofread carefully for errors. Get feedback from friends, family, or career advisors. Highlight unique projects that showcase your ability to think strategically and solve problems.

What are some common resume mistakes to avoid?

Avoid using vague language, failing to quantify your impact, focusing on tasks instead of strategic contributions, and including irrelevant experience. Also, avoid using a generic resume template and failing to proofread carefully for errors. Make sure your resume is easy to read and well-organized.

How can I showcase my leadership skills on my resume?

Highlight projects where you led a team, mentored others, or made strategic decisions. Use action-oriented verbs to describe your leadership contributions. For example, “Led a team of content creators,” or “Developed and implemented a content strategy.” Show the outcomes of your leadership, such as improved team performance or increased sales.

Should I include a cover letter with my resume?

Yes, including a cover letter is always a good idea. A cover letter allows you to elaborate on your skills and experience and explain why you are a good fit for the job. Tailor your cover letter to each specific job, and highlight your most relevant qualifications. Use the cover letter to address any potential concerns, such as gaps in your employment history.

How often should I update my resume?

Update your resume regularly, even if you are not actively seeking a new job. This will help you keep your resume fresh and relevant. Update your resume whenever you complete a new project or acquire a new skill. Review your resume at least once a year to ensure it is up-to-date and accurate.

---

More Content Strategist resources

Browse more posts and templates for Content Strategist: Content Strategist