I’ve been answering a lot of questions about resumes lately. Here are some things to consider with respect to making sure your resume is in tip-top shape (regardless of whether you’re employed or looking for a job).
The essentials of a great resume include:
=> Formatting: Make sure your resume is easy to read, ‘clean’, and professional. Most resumes are two pages or less unless you’re an executive. Balance white space with copy. Look at it with the lense of a recruiter or hiring manager who will scan your resume in less than a minute and make a judgment about you.
=> Content: Make sure the majority of your content is ‘results-focused’ and less ‘job description-like.’ Potential employers want to know what you did to help make things better, more efficient, streamlined, etc.
=> SEO / Key Word Friendly: Remember that your resume needs to be found on the internet and in resume databases. Plus, a person needs to be able to quickly scan your resume and catch key words. Therefore, it’s important to make sure the ‘key words’ relevant to your ideal job and/or industry are clearly stated within the resume.
There are a lot of ways you can get feedback on your resume:
- Ask friends and family
- Ask peers or managers from current or former companies and jobs
- Ask recruiters within companies or at agencies
- Hire a resume writer or career coach to critique your resume, rewrite it, or write a whole new resume
Buyer Beware: Professional resume writers or career coaches who are offering a free resume critique often will only give you very high level feedback on your resume for free. They will then provide you with a price for a rewrite. If you’re going to pursue a free resume critique, don’t waste your time… make sure the provider is being upfront with you about what you’ll receive for the free part.
Some of you have been taking advantage of our ‘Live Resume Makeover’. During this session, you’ll receive:
- Very specific feedback and suggestions on formatting, content, and SEO/key words.
- Answers to any / all questions about your resume.
- Up to a 50-minute live consultation via phone.
- Notes and comments delivered back to you within 24 hours with samples and suggestions based upon what we talked about.
- A long list of high-impact verbs to help your brainstorm your results-focused statements.
- Final review, feedback, and comments on your newly drafted and rewritten feedback (from me).
Overall, make sure your resume isn’t the sole focus of your job search. True job search strategy is really not about the resume. Make sure it’s as great as it can be but also remember that a resume is a living, breathing document that will continue to grow and evolve over time. It’s never done. So don’t fool yourself into thinking that it’s all you need to change to land that next job.
Do you have a resume success story? Comments and tips for others? Leave them here!
