Employment Solutions

There's plenty of advice on how to write a great resume, much of it very valuable, but the secret's out that proofreading is important. We know not to write "personal" when we mean "personnel", or skip over _ word. And there’s plenty of information out there regarding which key words to use, the best formats, etc.

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Instead, let's review a few of the more simple points. Think of your resume as a sign on your door. The goal is to have employers stop and open it before they walk by. Simple to read, simple to comprehend, simple to become a “yes”...

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• If you haven’t caught the theme yet, here it is: keep it simple. For all of the work that you will do on your resume (and the work is certainly necessary), assume that your beautiful resume is read in only 10 seconds maximum. Seriously, you have 10 seconds (and often even less) before it moves to the trash. Employers and recruiters have a lot to look through and they work quickly. Imagine that you are an employer or recruiter doing a quick visual scan - based on only that, will they notice the important parts of your resume and contact you?

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• Use a simple Word format that can easily be viewed and edited on any computer. Not a table format, don’t save as a PDF file, or a template. You don’t know your audience or who will try to read it, or what device they are viewing on. If there’s a chance it doesn’t open easily, or formatting could be difficult to read for any reason, then it’s hurting you. Again, simple is better.

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• Objectives and Summary sections are not necessary. One sentence at the beginning is enough, and definitely no photos on your resume. Use that opening sentence to describe the type of organization that would want to hire someone like you, or state the benefits of hiring someone with your skill set. The beginning "fluff" is barely skimmed - anything more than a sentence is wasted space (hint: nobody cares that you are “seeking a challenging position”). Think of your resume as the opposite of social media - don't broadcast what you’re looking for, what you think, or what you want. Remember that employers don’t care about your objectives, they care about theirs.

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• Worked less than 10 years? One page should be all that you need. Otherwise, keep it to two pages if possible. Although there's no universal rule for length, the goal again is simplicity – it’s your history, but in a clear and concise way that make your accomplishments and skills obvious. Even if you worked for the largest company, everyone reading your resume won’t know what your specific division did, so make it simple and “in your face” with the key words that apply to your skills that the employer will be scanning for.

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• Don’t overestimate who is reading your resume. It may be screened by someone that has very little experience, or perhaps has nothing at all to do with that job. That first look may be nothing more than a glance, so catch their eye. Busy formatting and layout only hurt you further in this regard. Remember above all: help the viewer get a real feel for your skill set, while knowing nothing about you in advance. You have 10 seconds, max. Keep it clean, obvious, and simple – for their benefit…and for yours.

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Happy hunting,

The Bravedale Group

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