What makes for a strong resume (AND a stronger candidate vetting process)?
The last post was titled Gone in 6 Seconds! It really doesn't take long to screen a resume (at least for the initial screen). What do we look for? The two questions contained in the Blog title can be answered at the same time/with the same words.
Do we truly know the position for which we are screening?
It's more than just key words. Most people I know are good at reading - job descriptions and resumes. Looking for someone with'XX' years of experience and a degree is not much of a challenge. These are yes/no questions that can indeed be answered in 6 seconds. The resume reader/screener has to truly understand what is being sought. It should be a combination of specific experiences and the results that were achieved. Cultural fit will be key as well - and can at least be partially evaluated by reading the resume. Corporate-speak works in certain environments; the language you use in your resume is an indication of how you will communicate in the organization. The resume may also give evidence of how the results were achieved. (Is there reference to a team or group? Is this all about the candidate or the team that he/she led?)Let's ask Annie Fisher
Annie Fisher is a writer and contributor to Fortune Magazine and CNN (to name a few publications/news sources where her writings appear) on the topic of resume writing. She has written on what is wrong with your resume. Her comments give a reader good guidance in decision making.- Burying or not including important information
- The reader needs evidence of results. While not everything is quantifiable, a resume should provide more than a list of responsibilities. We don't want to read your job description.
- Continuing education - most resumes I read contain an education section. They rarely give evidence of continuing education. Our clients (organizations that are hiring) want evidence of their next hire being a continuous learner who invests in their own development.
- Resumes that are too long
- Editing is a business skill. Resumes seem to grow in length as a person grows in their career. Some of this resume 'growth' is simply because people keep adding things on top (recent position accomplishments) without ever removing things from the bottom (things that happened very early in a career). We are getting somewhat tolerant of spillover to page three. Anything longer is too long.
- (okay - one more) Personal information
- We really do NOT need to know your age, height, weight, marital status (3 times - yes an actual example), car owner status, etc. It gives an impression you don't want us to have. AND please do not send your picture. (They are often entertaining, but not in the way you would want.)
The reader needs guidance - help us!
Many resumes start with an Objective or Executive Summary. An objective that reads Seeking a professional position with opportunity for growth and advancement doesn't tell us anything. An Executive Summary that includes a superlative statement such as Excellent communication skills does nothing for us either. (It would make more of an impression if you said Great writer; poor presenter. We would feel like we were reading the truth!)Is there a conclusion?
Volumes have been written on this topic - and resume formats change over time. Giving comprehensive resume advice in a one-page Blog entry is close to impossible. That said, one more comment . . . . . .- Please do not send us multiple resume versions and ask us to choose which we like. This is an opportunity to sell yourself. Make a decision and put your best resume forward. If you aren't sure, ask others before you send it to us.