Resumé tips from the #architect
The resumé. This is the first thing an employer sees about you, and knowing nothing else, this is also what they are judging the first impression from. Keeping it clean, accurate, and making it look good are the most important aspects here.
You want your resumé to speak for you when you cannot, but also not to drone on into subject matter that may end up making it either seem lackluster, or even cause for the recruiters to move on to other candidates.
You will hear a lot of mixed arguments about 1-page vs 3-page vs your-entire-history-small-novel.
Let’s talk about that.
Size does matter
Don’t be afraid to hand a recruiter a 6-page resumé, if you really have that much relevant experience, but the best approach is to tailor your resumé to showcase the experience related to the job you’re trying to land.
You can list volunteer work, but don’t overdo it, because you’re trying to find a job, not offer yourself to be a charity (or look like you have experience when you don’t).
The big argument behind the 1-3-5-page resumé is the time it takes a recruiter to pick out the “good stuff” and decide whether or not you are worthwhile, so that’s where we talk about structure.
Cover Letter
The very first page of your resumé needs to be a cover letter, and by sticking to a format, you can keep your structure cohesive throughout the documents you present. This will help when you want to give a 1-2 page “resumé” versus a 7-page CV.
Structuring it like this will allow you to customize your cover section for each job you apply for, so that it looks tailored to the job; they feel like you’re talking directly to them.
When we create our cover letter, the most important thing you can do is talk about why you want to work at Company X, followed by a brief description of what your short-term and long-term goals are, but be careful not to take up the entire page. Keep it simple.
Color is not recommended on a resumé and could cause problems during the printing process or even take attention away from the words in the document, which is what you really want them to focus on.
Since we’re not writing an actual letter, and in fact we’re going to give this to more than one person, we don’t need to address it. So simply “Dear Reader,” will do fine.
The new-age idea to only use a 1-page resumé can either get you hired or passed by. I advise against this unless you are executive level.
By keeping your cover letter separated in the same document:
- No Losing track of documents
- Everything looks the same
Anyone who has used places like Indeed.com or even ZipRecruiter knows that the website builds a resumé for you, so the only thing you really have to add is your own cover letter, or references later. Hence the lean towards everything looking streamlined and the same.
- Don’t try to sell yourself. Be yourself.
- Don’t talk too hard on things you plan on accomplishing if they make it seem like wishful thinking.
- Keep your goals realistic and achievable and show genuine interest in the job that you are applying for. This will up your chances at getting a call.
- You can mention things like school, or perhaps a major accomplishment you’ve recently worked on that provides tangible relation to the job you’re trying to get.
- Mention community, coursework, and projects that you have made
- Don’t paste links and don’t use headshots in your resumé
The only web address that should be visible is your email address and a website if you have one. LinkedIn is optional.
I don’t give them this. They can find that after the phone call, or by looking you up.
Structure
- We start with accomplishments directly related to the job you’re after. We give them the 401, talk about certs, soft skills, give them the most recent employment and work backwards.
- Timestamping your cover letter with something close to the date you’re applying (like the same day) will show the recuiter that you are up-to-the-minute.
- Education and certifications can be on the same page.
- The signature at the bottom is key– you don’t absolutely need something like that, but small touches like this go a long way to project professionalism.
When we talk about the structure of the entire document, we can use headers and footers, but be careful with this, because they can clutter things up.
If you truly have TONS of experience, and lots to talk about, then this can be more than 1 page– but the idea here is to have a well structured document that can be split into parts for flexibility. EG— this job gets a cover letter, this job gets only the ’taters, and this one gets just needs a print-out of certifications.
References do not need to be in the resumé. You can give those informations upon request.
Document Formatting and PDFs
There is a thing called ATS that will break your PDF resumé, or completely skip it. Make sure you save a .docx compatible format for this, as well as a cremé-de-la-cremé PDF.
ATS stands for Application Tracking System, and it does not like PDFs. 99% of recruiters and job search sites use this, so there it is.
• When you list what you’ve done, do not list job duties.
• Do not say things like “Provided” over and over.
• Tell them what you did to make the company better. What did you do for X?
• Words Like Achieved, Maintained, Surpassed, Improved, etc
• Show them that this is the kind of thing they can expect you to do for them.
• Avoid the shooting range. Do not fill your resumé with bullets.
• If you really need bullets, change them up.
Education and References
Make room for this stuff towards the last page. A lot of times, recruiters and hiring managers will read a resumé backwards like a Star Wars intro to get a better idea of your professional progression. Putting your Education at the bottom lets them see that first.
Explain job gaps. That is important. If you have a gap in employment, be prepared to explain it truthfully.
When it comes to “How many references should I put?” The answer is zero. References are available upon request
So when we put all of this together, we have a nice clean resumé that is straight to the point, no fluff unless we need it, and can be split up for flexibility and customized for each job you apply to.
Having a clean resumé with relevant experience is only half the battle.
• Go all out to explain achievements and accomplishments and really put some light on what separates you from the rest.
• You won’t always have things like that you can add, but put them in where you can.
• During the interview, you’re going to use the Five A’s with these.