Job Hunting

Job Hunting: Your Resume

While there have been occasional online suggestions that the days of using a resume are numbered, for now it is the primary information summary by which recruiters and hiring managers make a decision to call or email you, beginning the interview process, and hopefully leading to an offer of employment. Here are the basic components that should be included:

Contact Information

This section may seem pretty easy, but it’s the first place people make mistakes. Here’s an example of a good contact section:

Mary Candidate

Branford, CT 06405
203-555-1234 | mcandidate18@gmail.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/maryc

Note that her town, but not street address is shown, her name is larger, and in bold, and she has included the URL of her LinkedIn profile. Avoid using university email domains, and stick to Gmail, Hotmail, or Yahoo Mail unless you own a domain. Avoid inappropriate names (“sassygal”, “hounddog”, “boredinboston”, or the like) when you are creating your email. Stick to one phone number, cell is best.

Education

University of Connecticut
BS, Computer Science, June 1999 (cum laude)

This is pretty self-explanatory. Add any distinctions you may have been conferred, but leave out extracurricular info. Save that for your LinkedIn profile. If you also have an advanced degree, that should be listed first.

Skills

Platforms: Windows, OSX, Chrome, iOS, Android
Software: Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Google Suite
Social Media: LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Reddit, AngelList
ATS/VMS/Tools: Taleo, BullHorn, Zoho, Gr8 People, Workable, ZipRecruiter, iCIMS, Fieldglass, Staff Enabler, SmashFly, LinkedIn Recruiter, Sales Navigator, Indeed, Connectifier, Prophet, Zoom

****

What the skills summary does is offer some familiar “tag words” that whoever is reading your resume will know, plus it gives search engines a target. The summary above is for a recruiter, and shows some of the tools used in Talent Acquisition.

Think about all of the tools/technology that you have had any exposure to, and list them here. You don’t necessarily need to be an expert in all of them. That discussion comes later in the interview.

Summary

This is where you boil it all down to a paragraph that explains you, what you’ve done, and in a sense, why you should be one the candidates they interview. Keep it concise and try to avoid phrases like “Results Oriented” “Rock Star”, “Thought Leader”, “Works Well in a Team” or “Visionary”. These types of phrases are overused, fail to add value to your resume, and will get in the way of your real assets. Use this instead of an Objective. One last important rule: do not refer to yourself in the third person! Example:

“Mary Candidate is a visionary senior hotel manager with over 12 years multi-unit experience. Her results-oriented approach to hospitality has earned her several awards”

Work Experience

List your work experience in reverse-chronological order starting with the latest. Show the company/organization name, your position title, and the dates you were in that position. Moving down the page, do the same for the previous position. If you have any gaps that are significant (more than 60 days) explain the circumstances.

Within each of the assignments/jobs, have 3-4 “bullet points” that explain what you did, and add any significant achievements for which you were recognized. Here’s an example:

Vertical Search Works Jan 2012 - July 2014
Digital Sales Executive

• Responsible for 100+ outbound calls a day
• Helping e-businesses increase traffic and drive sales through digital marketing
• Supported clients through daily management of campaigns by accessing budget allocations and optimization recommendations to achieve business goals
• Responsible for achieving daily/weekly business goals; maintaining client relationships; and contributing to divisional market growth.

As you construct your resume with the above items, I would use the following order:

Education
Summary (or Skills)
Skills (or Summary)
Work Experience

What this will reveal on the first page is most of the information that a recruiter needs to see, plus your most recent position. Some people put the Education and Skills at the end of the resume, but if you went to a top STEM school, and you are seeking a role in technology, why bury it at the end?

Other Things to Keep in Mind

1. Don’t end your resume with the statement: “References Available Upon Request”
2. Don’t put references on your resume
3. Don’t put a photo of yourself on your resume
4. Don’t put salary/pay history on your resume
5. Keep the type-styles/fonts simple. Pick one, and use it throughout. Times, Garamond, Calibri, or Arial are all just fine. If you need emphasis, use the bold/underline/italic feature or change the font size.
6. YOUR RESUME DOES NOT NEED TO FIT ON ONE PAGE.

BTW, if you would like me to have a look at your resume, feel free email me at:

geoff(at)boldtalent(dot)net