The resume.  Who actually enjoys writing a resume?  It is the act of paring down your hard work to a small number of facts.   HR professionals dislike reviewing resumes as much as people enjoy writing them. Still, this one document holds a great deal of power when it comes to getting in the door and eventually getting the job, and that is why so many people get sweaty palms just thinking about having to write a resume. Having reviewed countless resumes, I thought I would share some of my thoughts about what I and other HR professionals like and do not like to see in a resume.

1. Keep it Simple- Stick to the tried and true, dare I say template, of a resume– company, title, bullet points.  Do not write paragraphs or create a table about your key successes and expertise which precede your actual work history.  It is a waste of your time! Resumes are scanned not read.  Keep the points succinct and direct. Do not make us hunt for the good stuff.
2. Correct Errors- Check and double check your work. Overlooking typos and misspellings is a big red flag.
3. Format It- The look of a resume can go a long way. Use the same type of bullet point throughout.  Make sure everything aligns correctly.
4. Past Tense Verbs- Start every bullet point with an action verb that ends in “d”. (Maintained, Shipped, Sold).
5. Leave Out the Buzz Words- Your resume is being reviewed by an HR professional that may not be up on all the latest buzz words in your industry.  
6. Use Bold- Bold words or phrases that identify the skills congruent with those of the job for which you are applying.  This makes it easier for the reviewer to spot important information while scanning your resume.
7. Tailor It- Your resume should be specific to the job you are applying for.  From the cover letter to the objective, the reviewer of your resume should be able to spot that you have taken the time to apply for that job, not that you have just sent in the same old resume to every job you to which you have applied.
8. Keep it to Two Pages- Any more than two pages is too much.  Wordiness will get you nowhere, cut it down.
9. Provide Data- For jobs where performance can be easily quantifiable, include the data to show your accomplishments. If you achieved 110% of sales goal, tell us. 
10. Include Written Recommendations- If you have previous employers who have written recommendations for you, include them.  In our very cautious society, it is hard for HR professionals to get anything out of previous employers besides work history dates. It speaks volumes when a previous employer is willing to write a recommendation for you.
11. Highlight the You Outside of Work- If you have hobbies or do volunteer work, provide that information as well.  Our job is to create a total picture of you and adding such information helps.
12. Be Digitally Savvy- Add a link to your LinkedIn page or your blog, something to show that you are hooked into the technological world.

 You should continue to shape and update your resume as often as possible. I share these tips so you can build a winning resume and get hired!  Good luck in your job hunt!!

This entry was posted on Tuesday, February 10th, 2009 at 7:24 pm and is filed under Resume Writing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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