Resume Writing Tips

Writing a resume is intimidating for most everyone. What makes it difficult is knowing what to include, what not to, what to highlight, what to de-emphasize, etc. HR professionals and hiring managers receive hundreds of resumes for any given position, and on average, they will spend about 10-30 seconds on yours. Organizing information incorrectly could cost you a shot at an interview, and is a very common mistake made by job seekers. Remember, the resume is your TICKET to the interview. You must find a way to stand out in the crowd with the resume as gaining interviews has become more and more of a challenge in today's job climate. For most people, you are best served by using a professional resume writing services and/or resume critique services.

With that being said, I would like to share a few key factors when thinking about your unique resume.

You must prioritize the content of your resume. You have a small window of time to get the interest of a hiring manager so brevity and focus is essential. You are looking for a resume, not an autobiography. A lengthy resume does not translate to higher qualification. While your resume is essentially a marketing tool, it shouldn't read like marketing. Avoid over-use of industry jargon. Be factual, concise and state compelling results. You don't need to go into detail about every accomplishment in your resume but companies are looking for more than just training and education today... they are looking for a proven track record. Remember: the interview is the place to elaborate on your accomplishments and evaluate work-style cultural cues. Not the resume.

Use bullets with short sentences to structure the body of your resume. The main selling points of your resume should be clear and quick to scan. Again, don't worry about the specifics; you will go into the details during the interview.

Use action words like prepared, managed, developed, championed, monitored, and presented will cause your resume to stand out. Avoid using the same verb over an over. If your resume is scanned electronically, the computer will pick up on the words. Some companies now scan in your resume and have computers pull those that meet certain criteria. The computers are looking for one thing - the keywords that have been picked by the hiring manager. These are action keywords that relate to the position so not including them or using shortened acronyms could mean your resume is disregarded as a "non-match".

You should always use %'s, $'s and #'s. Dollar totals, numbers, and percentages stand out in the body of a resume.

Highlight your strengths, and what is most relevant to the potential employer. In-coming resumes are typically reviewed in 10-30 seconds, so put forth the effort and determine which bullets most strongly support your job search objective. Put the strongest and most relevant points first where they are more apt to be read. This is your hook for the reader and the rest of your resume reels them in.

White space is important. Open up the newspaper, and take note of which ads first catch your attention. Are they the ads that are jammed full of text or are they ads that have a large amount of unused space ("white space"). This is done to grab your attention, as readers are always attracted to open areas.

How long should my resume be? What size font should I use? - The font size should be no smaller than 10 point, standard serif or sans serif fonts. Don't use intricate fonts that are hard to read. Keeping your fonts standard will help combat conversion issues from PC to MAC and from one program version to another. The length of your resume should be 1-3 pages. Yes, you read correctly; you can use more than one page. But remember, keep it concise.

Get 3rd Party Advice. Since you are so close to your situation, it can be difficult for you to note all your high points and clearly convey all your accomplishments. Having someone subjectively review your resume can give you insight into how others will view your personal marketing materials - would your resume impress them? If not, why?

Now you're ready! Begin sending out your resume to positions and all of your contacts. Measure the type of response you are receiving. If you aren't receiving response that could be an indication that your resume isn't showcasing your abilities, skills, and accomplishments well. Revisit the tips above and seek the advise of a professional.

Designing your resume yourself is often like trying to cut your own hair. It just never looks as clean and professional.

Xodus Advantage serves as expert partners to individuals from the time they contemplate a potential career/job change, through the planning and transition phases. We specialize in making the change process positive and practical by empowering the individual to excel in their job campaign strategies. We are committed to seeing a successful career transition.

When individuals find themselves on the job market or interested in a career transition, they are typically very uncertain. It is always nice to offer them the “voice of calm” plus real-world practical strategies to accelerate their down time during the transition.

For a free 30 minute consultation, please contact:

Lori Harbeck - lori@xodusadvantage.com

Janet Blumen - janet@xodusadvantage.com

Thank you for putting Xodus Advantage on your job search team!