How To Find A Job – The Resume

An important tool in any job search is the resume. A resume is a record or brief summary of your history and experiences. It provides the potential employer with a look at your qualifications and past work history. Often, it is the single document that gets you an initial interview.

How important is the resume? Let’s take a look at a typical scenario. I am an employer with a management position I need to fill. I post an ad, with job descriptions and requirement on an internet mega-job board on Tuesday afternoon. By Wednesday morning when I get back to my office I could have a hundred, a thousand or possibly more resumes in my email inbox. If I spend 10 seconds visually scanning 1,000 resumes that will take me 2.78 hours just to do the initial scan and culling of the resumes.

That means you only have, at best, 10 seconds to get my attention. Is the resume important? Yes it is.

There are many styles, formats and types of resumes to choose from. Different styles work better for different professions. The key to a successful resume is that it should look professional. Remember, this is not a piece of paper you are submitting but, it is you that you are submitting.

Let’s look at a generic resume and the do’s and don’ts of resume development based on my experiences as a job seeker and as a recruiter over the years.

The first step is to find a good format that meets your needs and the profession you are in. With the proliferation of computers and word processing software this can be easily accomplished. You can develop your own professional resume with a few easy steps by following the templates that are provided for you. Yes, you do need to type it out not only because you have to email it but because it looks more professional. Within the last six months I have received a hand written resume and I assure you I did not spend the 10 seconds I mentioned above scanning it.

Use a standard font with minimal highlighting, bolding or italics. This is not the time to use fancy graphics, you want the document to be easy to scan and read. The only attention the fancy graphics get you is negative attention.

Your resume should be printed on a standard, heavy weight paper, preferably white. Do not use fancy colored paper. A cream colored bonded paper is okay.

Make sure all your sentences, paragraphs, indentions, bulleting and alignments are correctly spaced and justified. Not only check this on the computer screen but also on a printed copy. There are occasions when what you see on the screen is not what ends up on the paper.

Another important point that can sabotage an otherwise excellent resume is spelling and/or grammar. Don’t just rely on “spell check” but review and re-read your resume several times. Have someone who is good at spelling and grammar proofread your resume before you send it out. It would be terrible to lose a chance for a great job because you misspelled a few words.

Try to keep your resume to a one page document. If you have a lot of work history you can add a second page if it is necessary. If you think you need a second page, ask yourself if the older history is really relevant to this job search. Often, it is not and can be omitted.

Keep your points simple and concise. This is not a time to write an eloquent essay on your work history, full of long adjectives and descriptors. Each of your employers and job function should have a brief description of what your job junction was and a few bullet points of your major accomplishments.

Let’s look at the various elements of a resume and what should be covered. This particular format is one I like but the basic elements are the same in most formats.

The Heading

The heading should include your name and contact information (address, telephone number and email address). I prefer it centered across the top of the page. You do not have to put “Resume Of” as this is assumed and is a waste of space.

Objective

The only time I use an objective line on a resume is when it is being sent for a specific job opening. Then I put the specific job title as the objective. On all other generic resumes I do not use this line because it may limit your options.

Summary of Qualifications

This is a short list of four or five top of the line qualifications that you, as a candidate, have to offer. They are listed in a bullet point format.

This is a good place to use the “keyword phrases” you have found in the Job Description/Job Requirements section of the company’s job posting.

Experience

This is where you list your employment history and experiences. It should be listed in reverse chronological order from your most recent employer back to your first employer.

Each listing should include the time of employment by month and year for start and stop. The name of the employer and the city and state location should be listed. Your last job title as listed by that employer should also be given.

Give a brief description of the primary company function, your specific function and your responsibilities. You should provide more information on the more recent and/or relevant jobs.

Then list two to five bullet points of your major accomplishments. Remember, you will be asked, at an interview, to explain them so you need to be prepared to do so.

Education

I list my education at the end of the resume rather than the beginning so the recruiter is focused on my work history and experiences first.

List the last school you attended and its location. List your degree and the date you graduated.

If you attended more than one college and received multiple degrees you should list each of them.

Then list all post graduate training, by date and subject, which are relevant. “Statistical Process Controls” would be relevant to manufacturing but basket weaving may not be.

This is a lot of information to get on a one to two page document but it can be done if you keep it concise. The purpose of the resume is to introduce you and get that initial interview. The interview is where you will fill in all the details not found on the resume.

Remember, it is very important that the resume be accurate and truthful. You will be asked to explain most of the points and especially the relevant accomplishments.

Sooner or later the truth will come out. One of the things I have hated to do was to terminate a good new hire when it was discovered that they had falsified the information on their resume or application.

Even in today’s world of computer profiles a good resume is essential. Everyone should have a good resume that is up to date and ready to go. I always say, “The first thing you do when you get a new job is to update your resume.”

What have some of your successes and experiences been with resumes?