Do's and Don’ts of Resume Writing
Let’s face it. Writing a resume can be a daunting task. It can be intimidating and even be frightening to some people. Then, add to that, when someone sits down to write a resume, it can be during one of the lowest times in their life. Usually it comes after a downsizing, layoff, or in some cases a termination. So putting it bluntly, when the time comes to create a resume, the need for a new job can be great and the time to find one can be limited. Here are some tips that can help ease your stress and help you focus on the search.
First: DON’T panic, but DO focus. If you have been in a the same position for a while, it can be hard to figure out just what your “job duties” were and how to put them on paper, but this is exactly what you need to do. It doesn’t have to be fancy but getting it down on paper helps and gives you somewhere to start. When doing this, be sure to write it all down—everything you did on each day. This will serve as a guide when you begin putting together your resume. This will also help you realize how valuable an asset you were to your last company and how much of an asset you still are.
When writing a resume, DO be mindful of your audience, meaning the recruiter or hiring authority. In most cases they only scan a resume for about 1 to 2 minutes, looking for key qualifications that fit their roles; and if what they are looking for is not listed plainly they usually skip the resume. So make sure that your resume fits the job you are applying for as much as possible. It doesn’t matter that you may have “20 years in the banking industry…”—if you don’t meet a specific requirement such as having experience with SAP, then the 20 years won’t matter. Make sure to read the job description CAREFULLY. It may say that they want someone with customer service experience or banking experience etc., but that does not mean everyone with that skill is a perfect fit.
Now that you have the job description and a list of your job duties, DO begin to put together your resume. Remember that writing a resume is not an art project, but an informational tool to get you an interview and eventually a job. Avoid using colors, oversized/undersized fonts and company jargon. DO list 7 to 10 years job experience on your job history (if you have it) and if the job does not call for being a milk shake machine assembler from 1954 do not list it. Use the job description and your list of duties to put together a resume that pin points the essentials for the job. Bullet points are a great way to show job duties, instead of paragraphs, keeping in mind the 1 to 2 minutes it will be looked at initially.
Finally, DO create more than one resume. Resumes for an IT position would not be a fit for a sales job and vice versa. Create a resume for both if possible as long as you have experience. Any resume should be snap shot of your qualifications for that job, not just any job. Recruiters/hiring authorities are very selective and will only call those who most closely fit the job they need filled.