Archive for the ‘resume writing’ Category
The Problem with Blog-Based Resume Advice
Filed under: college students, job search, resume writing, social media, workplace | Tags: blog advice, blogging, pet peeves
Leave a Comment I realize that this post is right above a post I previously wrote about resume advice.
But here’s the deal: There are some resume guidelines that generally apply to most job seekers (“Proofread your resume for errors”). There is a lot of blog-based resume advice that doesn’t.
When I read bloggers’ recommendations to add fancy graphics to a resume or to disregard the one-page length recommendation, I cringe. Those are individual and industry-specific suggestions. What might fly for a graphic designer will not work for a non-profit professional, and so on.
I read blogs written by those in social media, marketing and other creative or technology-related industries which claim resumes aren’t even necessary anymore because they’ve been replaced by online media. Yet, my office works with over 400 employers a year that say, yes, a resume is still absolutely necessary (for entry-level positions geared toward business majors, that is). Will resumes go away in the future? Probably. But we’re not quite there yet, at least, not in all industries, at all hiring levels. Many students I work with would be grossly under prepared without a resume and would probably not do well with a 3-page resume filled with fancy, colorful graphics, either.
The bottom line is, everything has context. Be sure to consider what perspective a blogger brings to their advice and the industry in which they have the most experience. That’s not to say someone who works in one industry can’t benefit from ideas presented by someone in a completely different industry. Weigh advice from others against what you know to be true about your industry and your own experiences – which, of course, you know best – and tailor those ideas for your specific situation.
Resume Checklist: Seven Things to Examine Now
Filed under: college students, job search, resume writing | Tags: resumes
Leave a Comment Crafting an effective resume is sometimes a tedious process and always never-ending. Once you have your basic info on paper, there are quick things you can do to make sure your information is presented in the best way. Since it’s fall on-campus recruiting season, I’ve seen a loads of resumes lately. The most common issues I see:
1. Too much or not enough white space. Hold your resume at arm’s length. Does your eye travel to a big, white, open space first? Then there is too much of it. On the flip side, if a reader cannot pick out your most recent 2-3 experiences and/or your educational information (for college students and recent grads) then the page has too much text, too few spaces or is just too messy. Use some white space to break things up.
2. Overformatting. Bold, italics, underlining, capital letters, etc. can all make the most important information on the page stand out. Few things on the resume need to be bolded, underlined, italicized AND capitalized. Use no more than two methods of emphasis at once. It works most effectively when used sparingly.
3. Gigantic name or teeny tiny name. Your name is important. It should be a few fonts sizes larger than the other items on the resume. But that’s it. Anything larger, even if it’s just with the best of intentions to help the reader remember who you are, makes you look like an egomaniac. Conversely, a name that is too small is difficult for a reader to find or remember. Never a good thing.
4. No results. It’s alright to list the tasks you’ve completed at your previous jobs/internships/extracurriculars but it’s better to include the result of your actions. What did you accomplish or achieve? How did what you did save money, make money or result in positive change for the company/organization?
5. Repeating verbatim the same skills/tasks. Each phrase or descriptive line on the resume should highlight a new skill or a new way in which the skill was used. One page isn’t much, so don’t waste space by repeating what you’ve already said in another section. Even if the task or skill being described is the same, the environment in which it was used is different and can at least be worded in a way that shows some diversity of experience.
6. Incomplete information. Every experience listed on the resume should include employer name, city/state, title and dates of employment. List all titles held at each company and the dates each position was held.
7. Using templates. You want your resume to stand out. To be unique. A template, by definition, is used to make things look the same. This is bad news if your goal is to stand out. Use a blank Word doc instead. Plus, templates turn into a hot mess when transmitted electronically.
Finally, get someone else to take a look at your finished resume to check for any errors. Sometimes a second set of eyes can catch things you might miss after looking at the document for hours on end.
