Resumes Are Like Opinions - Everyone's Got One!

Last week I met with two different employment agency recruiters. I asked them each to offer me their opinion of my resume and let me know if they had any suggestions for how I might improve it. The first one said “It's a little long, there's too much information, it needs to be more succinct.” After I made those adjustments, the second recruiter said “You have a lot of experience and should include as much information on a resume as you can.” Their feedback is my inspiration for today's blog title. If you were to ask a dozen recruiters, you would get a dozen suggestions.

Quite literally hundreds (perhaps thousands) of books have been written on the subject of resume writing. I highly recommend that you seek out many sources of advice for both the format and content of your resume. Read books, ask friends, consult with recruiters or (if you have the money) a professional resume writing service but...my first piece of insight that I have to offer on this subject is: Your resume should be a reflection of WHO YOU ARE. Don't automatically make every adjustment to your resume because someone tells you that you should. Your critical eye should be the final judge.

There are no hard and fast rules!

(except that there is simply NO excuse for typographical errors)

There are some changes, however that will need to be made to stay current with the technology that now processes these bits and bites of electronic information. While it make seem contrary to what I have noted above you should makes changes to your resume to reflect the particular position you are applying for. (actually, let's call them “tweaks” instead of changes) Your goal should be to have at least 10 words on your resume that match those in the job posting, and at least 3 of them in the first paragraph or section. With the modern invention of resume scanning software, many are initially reviewed not by hiring managers but by this more efficient, but less insightful, method. If there are no word matches, your resume will be put into the proverbial round file.

Before I move on to my final piece of brilliance on this subject (yeah, I know...I'm being cocky) let's look back to my first resume. It was typed on a typewriter. It was copied at a local printer and then mailed out to the PO Boxes that I had circled in red pen in the Sunday News Tribune. I recall my first paragraph. It read: “My objective is to obtain an entry level administrative position with an employer that will allow me to grow within the company as well as gain additional skills.” (Duh!!) Oh how times have changed. Those over generalized and vague career objectives that were once readily accepted, are now frowned upon.

Employers care about what you can do for them, not what they can do for you!

Tell them, show them, get noticed!

So, lastly, before you send out your next resume look at it with a mathematicians hat on. Yeah. Seriously. Add numbers to your resume. Numbers impress people, they stand out, they're specific and relative. If you're a Purchasing Manager, as I am, be sure to include how MUCH money you saved for your last employer. If you're a Receptionist, list how MANY incoming lines did you manage. If you're a Secretary, how MANY words per minute can you type or how many strokes per minute? Did you reduce the company's inventory, and if so, by how much? Did you create a more efficient process, and if so, how much time did you and your coworkers save? No matter what your job title is, or what you want it to be, you CAN apply math to your accomplishments. I promise.

It's tough out there. There are a lot of people out of work and there are simply not enough jobs to go around. You'll need all the resume writing education and interviewing tips and tricks you can gather to get noticed....and hired. Your resume is an employer's first impression and you know what they say about those....

There is no second chance for a good first impression.

Make it count!