Resume Trouble

Since I am a recruiter and a resume writer, I see a lot of resumes.  I also get a lot of questions about resumes.  And from what I’m seeing and hearing, there seems to be some confusion about resumes in general.  So, I’m dedicating today’s post to resumes and sharing my thoughts about some of the more common resume blunders and why you should avoid them.

Boilerplate Resumes

There is no better way to show a lack of originality, enthusiasm, and effort than to use a template to create your resume.  Most of the templates that I have seen are poorly laid out and are so limiting that most users won’t be able to present their information in a desirable fashion.  And they are immediately recognizable by hiring managers, recruiters and HR professionals.  If you don’t know how to use word processing applications like Word, then you need to learn or find someone to help you.

Boring Resumes

Boring resumes sound a lot like job descriptions.  If your resume is simply a list of tasks that you performed at each job, then you probably have a boring resume.  Another factor that can make a resume boring is tone.  If you find it a chore to write your resume, that sense of tedium will probably come through in the tone of your document (so be sure that you are editing for tone).

Think of your resume as a story about your career.  Make it an interesting read (and I don’t mean you should write fiction).  But a good story would present the facts of your career in an easy-to-follow fashion while keeping the reader interested throughout.  Use language that is expressive, action-oriented, and demonstrates your enthusiasm for your chosen field and the pride you take in your work. A good trick is to imagine that you’ve been invited to talk to a group of elementary school children about your job, and think about how you would describe your work to this audience.  This will force you to keep it simple, to focus on the big picture, and to explain your work in such a way that every kid will want to be like you when they grow up.  I’m not suggesting that you write your resume at the third grade reading level, but this exercise can help you to loosen up and think of more interesting ways to tell your work story.

Cutesy Resumes

Yes, purple-colored font, pink paper, glitter, and cutesy clip art will make your resume stand out.  But not in a good way.  So don’t do it.  Unless you’re applying for a job at Barbie’s Play House.  It makes me think that you still sign your name with a heart over the “i” instead of a dot.  And I’m pretty sure I’m not going to like what you wear to your interview.  I need to hire grown-ups who already understand what “professional” means and are serious about their careers, and your resume needs to reflect this. 

Disorganized Resumes

A resume is a marketing document so it has to have a clear, consistent message that is easy for the reader to “get”.  As a reader, if I can’t follow along, I am going to stop reading.  Make sure your formatting is consistent throughout (font type, font size, bullets, use of bold, italics, etc.) and that you are being consistent with grammatical elements such as tense, person, and voice.  Pay careful attention to chronology and progression so the reader can easily follow your work history.  Avoid a busy looking document as this can be very distracting to readers.

Well organized resumes have a brief summary at the beginning so the reader knows what he or she will be reading about (think of this summary as a headline).  The rest of the document should flow well and support the information provided in the summary.  The overall appearance of the document should be simple and clean.

Functional Resumes

I think functional resumes stink.  As a matter of fact, I have renamed them dysfunctional resumes because I think it is a much better description.  Send one to me, and I will throw it in the trash rather than waste my time trying to figure out exactly what it is you are trying to hide by using this deceptive format.  It is well known that many hiring managers, recruiters and HR professionals feel the same way that I do about dysfunctional resumes – so why take the risk.

Long Resumes

As a general rule if it is over two pages it is probably too long (government and academic resumes excluded).  If you’ve got a ton of text and not a lot of white space, that’s a problem.  If you’re using an 8-point font to try to squeeze all of the content in, that’s a good indication you need to do some editing.  It is not necessary to tell me everything you’ve ever done or to describe it in full sentences.  Just give me the highlights of your career – not the play-by-play.  Use bullet points and avoid lengthy sentences or paragraphs.

Keep in mind that there are many acceptable ways to prepare your resume and there is no one-size-fits-all solution.  But avoiding some of these common mistakes will help your resume stand out among others.