Tips for a Successful Resume
Scot Baker
Hiring Sales! Highest Commish in IT Staffing. 15% Burden W2 5% Corps. Work remote.
One of the most common questions I am asked is “How does my resume look?” The goal of a resume is to create a commercial. You don’t have to explain every little detail but make sure to provide enough information to draw the interest of a potential employer.
Below are some common mistakes that I see and some suggestions/corrections that I discuss with my IT network.
1) Be Honest
The most common reason for not moving forward in the interview process is the failure to support the information claimed to be understood. Some call it exaggerating or bending the truth when in reality it is simply the act of lying. I am extremely direct with my candidates and my goal is to have them understand that my clients will uncover the truth. Granted, it is easy to fool me, I have a Finance Degree. Unfortunately for them, my clients are a little harder to swindle.
2) Focus on the individual
Attributing a team accomplishment as an individual achievement is also a common downfall of candidate during the interview process. Candidates will routinely use the phrase “I was on a team that developed with X technology.” Unfortunately, this provides little value. The interviewer is more concerned with how the candidate personally developed with “X technology” and how it helped the team.
3) Show Initiative
If my candidate is learning something in their spare time, I suggest that they add it to a section titled training or personal interests. Clients are not forgiving if a candidate oversells themselves, but they are receptive to those that express interest in expanding their skill set.
4) Agency Reputation
The world of recruiting is a small one. Candidates can quickly strengthen or ruin their reputation depending on how they represent themselves. This might be the most important suggestion of all and can be applied to any situation.
Here is a tried-and-true layout (in bold) that follows a few simple principles that are broken down below.
ACME, Inc. Brazoria, TX Nov 2009 – Present
Sr. Bomb Tester
ACME is a world class organization that specializes in providing gag gifts that provide our clients with dangerous enjoyment.
• Responsible for the inventory management and production of various explosives
• Managed a team of 4 individuals
• Consistently met quotas
• Worked under strict deadlines with zero man hours lost
Environment: shell casing polishing, materials management, conveyer belts, hammers, anvils and springs
• State the company, title and duration
• A brief explanation of the company’s mission statement, project or goal sets the stage for the bullet points which are meant to explain your contribution to the aforementioned sentence.
• List the top skills that you possess in order of strength.
• Focus on relevant information and avoid anything that will incentivize certain people [read: recruiters] to waste your time.
Ex: .NET Developers looking for .NET Development opportunities will receive phone calls on a COBOL position if it is listed as a skill. Fine tune your resume to the position that you seek.
Tips on formatting include:
• 10 to 12 point font
• Black lettering and minimum bolding
• Consistency –Scan your resume for indentions, font, spacing, etc…and make sure it looks the same. A messy resume can create an unfounded opinion that your work will be similar.
With regards to resume format, avoid writing a novel. Hiring managers are very busy individuals and resume’s that require extra effort are quickly passed over. Keep it simple and digestible (a bulleted format tends to be best). A battle that I fight daily revolves around resume length. Let’s set the record straight, a resume should be 3 pages or less. A resume is the proverbial foot in the door and this is an opportunity that needs to be seized.
LinkedIn is changing the world of recruiting. It is becoming increasingly important that your resume aligns with your digital footprint. Areas of concern usually revolve around name, job tenure and title, and education. It is incredibly important to avoid major discrepancies and to remain consistent.
I’m often asked, “What do I put on my resume?” I follow that question with a question of my own: “What job do you want?” and then I implore them to express that on their resume. Essentially, have your resume reflect the position that you desire. If they are unable to answer my question, then the resume is the least of their concern. But that’s a topic for another day…
Manager - Data, Architecture, Applications, Integration & Analytics
8yThanks Scott for Tips, One other thing to add is supply a cover letter with a summary of your skills when you apply for a Job, If Client doesn't enough time to look at your resume he will at least read your cover letter.
Good one.
Thanks Scot
Document Recording Specialist at eRecording Partners Network
9yHelpful tips!! Thanks for this, Scot Baker!!
Hiring Sales! Highest Commish in IT Staffing. 15% Burden W2 5% Corps. Work remote.
9yThanks for your service John. I come across military resumes occasionally (mainly communications) and understand your pain. My advice is just to dumb it down as best you can or find a website that helps transition what you have done into civilian IT departments or whatever craft you decide to go into. Also use the job description to be your framework to write your resume. Try to address each bullet point on the description in your resume to the extent possible. There a lot of people that are willing to help former military and will give you the benefit of a doubt if only to reward your service. Also certifications might be a way to demonstrate your capabilities in the civilian market.