by Vicky Oliver, author of “Bad Bosses, Crazy Coworkers & Other Office Idiots”
According to Novoresume, a typical job opening may receive as many as 250 resumes. From this, only 2 percent of the applicants will be invited to come in for an interview, or approximately 5 candidates. Those are tough odds!
If you’re not making the cut, it’s time you reviewed your résumé through a recruiter’s eyes.
A résumé is a personalized introduction to your professional you. Think of it as an “elevator pitch” in which you briefly highlight your most marketable skills.
A résumé needs to tell the story of you in an easy-to-understand way. Finding the right balance of providing information versus keeping your résumé concise and readable isn’t easy. That said, if you’ve been in a field for over 10 years, expand your résumé to two pages (or you will risk looking like a lightweight).
Keep in mind that many recruiters spend only 6–7 seconds scanning a résumé. That means your résumé needs to be orderly and succinct, and your relevant information must be prominent.
Keep these do’s and don’ts in mind to make sure your résumé is working for you — and not against you:
1. Do: Pick a readable font.
Preferably, choose a font without too many flounces. You are going for clarity, not a design award. Some fonts to consider: Arial, Calibri, Helvetica, or the old standard: Times New Roman.
Don’t: Try to be creative. The background color of your résumé should be a variant of white, off-white, linen white, or ochre. Even if you’re vying for a job in a creative field, stick to this classic rule. A shocking pink resume will indeed shock — and get you quickly eliminated.
2. Do: Use bullet points.
Short-phrased headings, followed by a bulleted list that provides 3–5 pertinent details will give at-a-glance information that can be quickly deciphered. This enables the recruiter to easily find what she’s looking for.
Don’t: Put your specifics into long, windy sentences that obligate the recruiter to focus more closely on the content beyond a simple scan. She’ll likely skip over any densely worded information altogether. Remember, too, that AI bots will often be your first résumé readers. Keep your message simple.
3. Do: Emphasize specific skills at the top.
This brief section can be labeled “Executive Summary” or “Highlight of Skills” and include technology proficiencies as well as specific areas of expertise relevant to the job posting.
Don’t: Stray from the areas of expertise listed for the position. Even though you may be proud of your accomplishments as a data analyst, if you’re applying for a job as a copywriter, your analytical skills have little relevance. Leave them off your skills list — especially if you’re short on space.
4. Do: Provide concrete evidence.
Where possible, include a bullet point after your list of responsibilities under each work experience entry that shows measurable achievements. For example, “Improved sales by 30%.”
Don’t: Resort to hyperbole and unsupportable statements to exaggerate your accomplishments. Including that you were considered the “best junior executive of the department” will lead the recruiter to wonder, “Says who?” On the other hand, if you won performance awards, don’t be shy about including them in their own “Awards” section.
5. Do: Tout leadership skills.
Employers are looking for upwardly rising workers who exhibit the skills associated with leaders. Document how your motivation, people skills, or problem-solving efforts helped your current or former employers.
Don’t: Distort the facts in your favor. If your role was as a team member on a project, don’t claim that you alone are responsible for the positive outcome. Embellishing your position will usually come back to hurt you when the hiring manager reaches out to your references (and she will!).
6. Do: Tailor your resume to the job listing.
Tweak your résumé to the job for which you’re applying. Where possible, use words that match descriptions of the qualifications required. Include what will convincingly show that your background meshes with the listing’s mandatory experience.
Don’t: Submit a generic résumé. Unless your background miraculously mirrors the skills and responsibilities needed for the job, recruiters will quickly ascertain that you didn’t take the time to respond to their listed qualifications.
7. Do: Have a professional review your résumé.
Show your résumé to someone seasoned in your field to make sure you’ve adequately addressed all the needed responsibilities. The information should be clear and coherent. A second pair of eyes can also pick up any typos you may have overlooked.
Don’t: Hit the send button before your résumé has been carefully scrutinized. Even if you’re only able to give it your own review, look it over closely. Strive for consistency in wording and formatting. For example, if each bulleted item begins with a verb, make sure there aren’t any outliers.
8. Do: Include the optional cover letter.
Always opt in when invited to submit a cover letter. It gives you the opportunity to further sell yourself in a personalized way that a résumé can’t convey. Keep your letter to one page, and use it to describe in more detail your top skill — and corresponding evidence — that makes you the best candidate.
Don’t: Send a generic cover letter that neglects to reference qualifications of the position. You’ll waste the recruiter’s time and leave a poor impression.
To make your résumé work in your favor, emphasize quality over quantity. Packing in every detail of your job responsibilities or related experience won’t impress a recruiter. Instead, make a winning impression that will advance you to the interview round and show how your skills align with the position and where you can deliver value to the company.
Vicky Oliver is a leading career development expert and the multi-bestselling author of five books, including “Bad Bosses, Crazy Coworkers & Other Office Idiots” (Sourcebooks, 2008), “301 Smart Answers to Tough Interview Questions” (Sourcebooks 2005), named in the top 10 list of “Best Books for HR Interview Prep,” and “Power Sales Words: How to Write It, Say It and Sell It with Sizzle” (Sourcebooks, 2006). She’s a sought-after speaker and seminar presenter and a popular media source, having made over 901 appearances in broadcast, print and online outlets. She co-hosts the Resilient Women series podcast for Relatable Media. For more information, visit vickyoliver.com.