This is a quick overview of resume tips; you will find a link below to a full resume blog with additional details.
Though there is no right or wrong way to do a resume and a lot of opinions about formats, here are some tips to consider. The objective is to give a reader a compelling reason to consider you for a job.
First and foremost you want the resume to be reader friendly, easy to import into a company’s system and a clear file name. Use word or a PDF, name the file with last name, first name, and resume (Smith, John –Resume) If you are trying to keep up different copies you can add something to distinguish at the end.
- Resume templates can cause issues on formatting, if you use a formatting software make sure you have emailed it and it formats properly. I recommend creating your own document.
- Do not use borders, fancy headers, pictures, keep it simple to import and visually clean.
- Unless you are changing career directions or something to clear to say in an objective, don’t have one.
- Along that line, skip the team player, work well on own or with groups type self assessments.
- It is okay to list some core skills before the resume body, approach with caution.
- I do not like the lumping of accomplishments before the jobs, put those with each position. There are two major reasons. First, it slows the reader down trying to figure out what you did where. Increased sales by 20% for example belongs with the specific job, do not make the reader guess which one. Second, you want to show consistent impact in each role, which gets lost when jumbled at the top.
- Start with most recent job and title first.
- You may want to note something about the company such as revenue, public or private. Some clients only want large company or having small company experience.
- If you have been with a company that was merged, combine dates up front and notate, don’t make it look like you changed jobs because the name changed. Tie them together.
- Within a company show sub dates on specific roles where relevant.
- Make sure your dates are accurate, keep an eye on your LinkedIn Profile dates as well.
- Titles do not always reflect what you really do. I have known a lot of managers that report to top management that would be a director of VP elsewhere. Be clear about your reporting structure.
- Also be clear of staff you have managed, size and scope, budgets and revenues.
- In each role, ACHIEVEMENTS, show you make a difference. Did you save money, grow revenue or improve profitability, come up with ideas that were utilized, processes, software enhancements.
- Avoid redundancy; do not list the same thing over and over in each job. Avoid using the same words over and over. Mix up your phrases and look at an online Thesaurus to find different words to use.
- Do not use I.
- Make sure you are consistent with punctuation and usage of capital letters.
- Proof read it, have others look it over as well.
- List software utilized at the bottom, you can put in each job but include what systems you have worked on, this is often overlooked.
- Volunteer experience is good to list if applicable. Belonging to industry groups should be reflected.
- Prior to education list any certifications and relevant training if you have not already incorporated it.
- No hobbies unless they are relevant to your industry, marital status, or references.
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