Back to Basics, Résumé Writing 101
As we near the busiest time of the year for job seekers, I thought we should review the basics including what sections should be included on a résumé and what should and should not be included in each. As always, email your job search, résumé, cover letter, and interviewing questions to dearsam@ladybug-design.com. Happy job searching in 2008!
Aesthetics & Formatting
One of the major downfalls I see in reviewing résumés is that the majority lack any visual appeal, are typically created using very common templates, and are inconsistent in their use of fonts and spacing. While content is very important in creating a résumé that grabs the attention of a hiring manager, the aesthetics of that document can compel or repel someone's interest. For that reason, it is imperative to be consistent in your formatting choices, create a theme to how your information is going to be presented, and engage the reader through the use of a professional and visually appealing layout. If you are struggling for design ideas, review any of the samples on my website at www.ladybug-design.com/casestudies.html or check out any recently written résumé book in the library. Most contain hundreds of samples of professionally written and designed résumés and will provide sometimes much needed inspiration to make your résumé unique and engaging.
Heading
The heading on your résumé should include your name, address, home and possibly cell phone numbers, and email address. Take a moment to look at your email address and verify it reinforces the professional tone of your résumé and does not contain birth years, ages, and other personal information that should not be presented on a résumé. Likewise, review your voice mail messages and make sure they are professional and don’t disclose information of a more personal nature.
If you are looking to relocate and are not going to seek employer reimbursement for the move, think about placing a local and current address on your résumé to minimize the appearance of seeming expensive and timely to recruit (only possible if you have a friend or relative in the destination of choice). The goal by doing this is not to mislead a hiring manager, doing so would only lead to you losing credibility during the interview process, but instead to reinforce your move is a certainty and you are not seeking relocation expenses. To do this effectively without being misleading, make sure you present both addresses (current and upcoming) and make a note in the cover letter pertaining to your upcoming relocation and self-funded move.
Qualifications Summary
Defining your purpose or objective is critically important to the development of this section, not to mention an effective résumé. Instead of simply stating an objective, common in résumés of 5-10 years ago, this section, along with everything on your résumé, should be developed to sell yourself for the types of roles you are seeking.
Instead of presenting a self-serving statement about what you want, present an employer-centric section marketing what you can do for them. Develop this section based on a primary objective, presenting a brief summary of your key qualifiers related to your objective. Engage the reader by understanding the keywords for the positions of interest, and infuse those keywords throughout this summary and the remainder of your résumé.
This is typically the most difficult part of a résumé to write. As a tip, start writing your résumé from the bottom up, beginning with the easier sections and leading to the summary. Write the summary last so that you have a clear picture of what you have to offer your target audience. Think of this section as the executive summary to your résumé, it should tell the reader everything they need to know to evaluate your candidacy. Taking the time to develop this section will serve you well in an interview as it serves double duty and can fuel your answer to the question, “Tell me about yourself.”
Professional Experience
A strong professional experience section, with achievements highlighted, is critical in driving a successful job search. As a general rule, you should plan on including about 8-15 years of experience depending on how much of that experience enhances and supports your candidacy. Senior executives can include more experience as it is assumed they have the experience to complement their high-level objective. Include only years, not months and years, of employment in order to minimize the appearance of gaps, overlaps, frequent job hops, etc. Quantify experiences to add personality to your résumé (numbers jump off a page and draw the reader's eye), being sure to focus more on accomplishments versus daily responsibilities. And when presenting accomplishments, highlight them as such, do not intermingle them with daily responsibilities or the hiring manager will not be able to ascertain your "value."
Just as important is what not to include. Don’t tell your life’s story; your résumé is not a narrative of everything you have ever done. Instead, prioritize your experiences and present the ‘big,’ saving the ‘small’ for value-added content to present during an interview. Don’t omit anything that will get your foot in the door, but don’t include so much that you lose the reader’s interest.
Education
Omit the education section if it detracts from your candidacy. If you completed 1-2 years of college quite some time ago, and a degree is not required for the positions you are pursuing, then focus instead on any professional development you have completed. Don't include the year of graduation if it unnecessarily ages your candidacy and never include high school information as it is assumed you have a diploma.
Value-Added Information
The sections that can be included on your résumé are virtually limitless. Gauge each piece of value-added information as to whether it reinforces the professionalism of your résumé and relates to your purpose. Sections you could include might be Professional Affiliations, Military Experience, Honors and Awards, Volunteer Work, and more. Remember that while some aspects of your life may be very important on a personal level, your résumé should only include those items that reinforce your professional candidacy. Sometimes it is hard to separate the two, but it is very important to distinguish those items that are a passion for you as a person versus you as a professional.
Aesthetics & Formatting
One of the major downfalls I see in reviewing résumés is that the majority lack any visual appeal, are typically created using very common templates, and are inconsistent in their use of fonts and spacing. While content is very important in creating a résumé that grabs the attention of a hiring manager, the aesthetics of that document can compel or repel someone's interest. For that reason, it is imperative to be consistent in your formatting choices, create a theme to how your information is going to be presented, and engage the reader through the use of a professional and visually appealing layout. If you are struggling for design ideas, review any of the samples on my website at www.ladybug-design.com/casestudies.html or check out any recently written résumé book in the library. Most contain hundreds of samples of professionally written and designed résumés and will provide sometimes much needed inspiration to make your résumé unique and engaging.
Heading
The heading on your résumé should include your name, address, home and possibly cell phone numbers, and email address. Take a moment to look at your email address and verify it reinforces the professional tone of your résumé and does not contain birth years, ages, and other personal information that should not be presented on a résumé. Likewise, review your voice mail messages and make sure they are professional and don’t disclose information of a more personal nature.
If you are looking to relocate and are not going to seek employer reimbursement for the move, think about placing a local and current address on your résumé to minimize the appearance of seeming expensive and timely to recruit (only possible if you have a friend or relative in the destination of choice). The goal by doing this is not to mislead a hiring manager, doing so would only lead to you losing credibility during the interview process, but instead to reinforce your move is a certainty and you are not seeking relocation expenses. To do this effectively without being misleading, make sure you present both addresses (current and upcoming) and make a note in the cover letter pertaining to your upcoming relocation and self-funded move.
Qualifications Summary
Defining your purpose or objective is critically important to the development of this section, not to mention an effective résumé. Instead of simply stating an objective, common in résumés of 5-10 years ago, this section, along with everything on your résumé, should be developed to sell yourself for the types of roles you are seeking.
Instead of presenting a self-serving statement about what you want, present an employer-centric section marketing what you can do for them. Develop this section based on a primary objective, presenting a brief summary of your key qualifiers related to your objective. Engage the reader by understanding the keywords for the positions of interest, and infuse those keywords throughout this summary and the remainder of your résumé.
This is typically the most difficult part of a résumé to write. As a tip, start writing your résumé from the bottom up, beginning with the easier sections and leading to the summary. Write the summary last so that you have a clear picture of what you have to offer your target audience. Think of this section as the executive summary to your résumé, it should tell the reader everything they need to know to evaluate your candidacy. Taking the time to develop this section will serve you well in an interview as it serves double duty and can fuel your answer to the question, “Tell me about yourself.”
Professional Experience
A strong professional experience section, with achievements highlighted, is critical in driving a successful job search. As a general rule, you should plan on including about 8-15 years of experience depending on how much of that experience enhances and supports your candidacy. Senior executives can include more experience as it is assumed they have the experience to complement their high-level objective. Include only years, not months and years, of employment in order to minimize the appearance of gaps, overlaps, frequent job hops, etc. Quantify experiences to add personality to your résumé (numbers jump off a page and draw the reader's eye), being sure to focus more on accomplishments versus daily responsibilities. And when presenting accomplishments, highlight them as such, do not intermingle them with daily responsibilities or the hiring manager will not be able to ascertain your "value."
Just as important is what not to include. Don’t tell your life’s story; your résumé is not a narrative of everything you have ever done. Instead, prioritize your experiences and present the ‘big,’ saving the ‘small’ for value-added content to present during an interview. Don’t omit anything that will get your foot in the door, but don’t include so much that you lose the reader’s interest.
Education
Omit the education section if it detracts from your candidacy. If you completed 1-2 years of college quite some time ago, and a degree is not required for the positions you are pursuing, then focus instead on any professional development you have completed. Don't include the year of graduation if it unnecessarily ages your candidacy and never include high school information as it is assumed you have a diploma.
Value-Added Information
The sections that can be included on your résumé are virtually limitless. Gauge each piece of value-added information as to whether it reinforces the professionalism of your résumé and relates to your purpose. Sections you could include might be Professional Affiliations, Military Experience, Honors and Awards, Volunteer Work, and more. Remember that while some aspects of your life may be very important on a personal level, your résumé should only include those items that reinforce your professional candidacy. Sometimes it is hard to separate the two, but it is very important to distinguish those items that are a passion for you as a person versus you as a professional.
posted by Dear Sam at Sunday, December 30, 2007
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