So what do you add in, and what do you leave out? As someone who's just made a career change, I'm finding resume writing even more tedious these days. Not to pat myself on the back, but after a decade of hard work I have quite a few things that I think are important and worthwhile to include on a resume. Shouldn't I? After spending ten years as a scholar, a teacher, a leader in my professional circle...I should have a lot to show for it, right? But therein lies the problem; it doesn't really matter what I think. I realized that since I am not the one offering myself a job, I'm also not the person I need to cater to. That means I have to stop stroking my own ego, and get down to it.
The key to a strong resume is that you MUST appeal to the reader. Those of you out there who are still sending generic resumes that glaze over your "greatness" to any and all potential employers are making a grave mistake. In today's challenging job market, everyone is desperately clamoring to secure an interview, let alone an actual job. So if you're resume isn't hand tailored to fit the specific company, job description and potential interviewer you are applying to, rest assured it is being passed up.
I was fortunate enough to have a couple of the supervising agents at my literary agency set some time aside to help me take a much needed hatchet to the 4-page nightmare I had been shipping out lately.
Here are some of the key pointers I was given:
1) Keep it focused. Get rid of extraneous accomplishments or experiences that don't really translate well into the specific position you are currently seeking. This also means, the shorter the better. Showcase the best, and keep the rest in your back pocket as fodder for the interview.
2) Vocabulary. Use strong verbs to show the reader what you have been doing, or what you've done. Also, be sure to vary those verbs too, as there's only so many times a person wants to read created or fostered within a single document before slipping into madness. (Sorry, a little former English teacher frustration releasing itself there. But imagine reading 135 sloppy versions of the same crumby paper each and every day...maddening I tell you! But really, it's what your potential employers have to deal with every time they try to fill an open position. Just something to think about.)
3) Aesthetics. If your resume looks cluttered or disorganized, it's a turn off. The reader will feel that his/her time is precious, and wading through pages of chaos will not be appealing. While there is not one specific format that works better than another, I think clarity and conciseness are much appreciated by all readers.
4) Social Media? Here was a question met with a cocked eyebrow and a smirk. With a "Hmmmm. I've never heard of that on a resume before..." followed by a full-on Cheshire grin. Listen, in today's global economy, the world is moving too fast for all-things-human to keep up. But if you can show a potential employer that you are doing your best to try, it may be that little extra something that catches their eye and gets you the phone call, text, tweet or email saying "Come on down, and let's talk."
Now, writing cover letters is just as tricky, if not more so. But that will have to be for another session...just talking about resumes is setting in panic and making want to go searching Publisher's Marketplace for my next opportunity. Wish me luck!
~Michelle in Turn
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