Sometimes I wonder if people actually read the resumes they send me. We get hundreds of resumes a week and I bet only 10% ever make it past the delete button. Sometimes the applicant just doesn’t have the skills for the job, but often it’s the resume itself that lands the applicant in the round file. Unfortunately, the resumes have gotten worse over the last year with so many people out of work who haven’t put a resume together in years.
In 2009 and 2010, the Talis Group committed to speak at several workshops and seminars to educate people on the importance of resumes in the job seeking process. With today’s technology, your resume is the first impression you will make to a potential employer. Research tell us you only have about 20-30 seconds to make a first impression. What picture does your resume paint to the reader?
Misspellings And Grammatical Errors. These type of mistakes will kill your chances immediately. An employer doesn’t expect you to be an expert in spelling and grammar. They do expect your resume to be your best work product, which may require you to use spell-check and other resources to fix any mistakes. If you are not detailed enough to ensure it’s perfect before submitting it, the delete button will be your fate.
Industry Lingo. Many people make the mistake of writing their resume as if their boss would be the recipient, using their internal industry lingo and acronyms. The terminology easily becomes second nature when you work in that environment but often someone outside of the industry and possibly just outside of that employer, may not understand it nor have the same meaning for the words. This can certainly cause misunderstandings and confusion for the reader, which in turn may eliminate you from the next step.
Fonts & Formatting. I can’t stress enough how important it is to create a document that is easy to read, flows well and has enough white space to be quickly scanned in 20-30 seconds. Do not make the font so small that it becomes difficult to read. If you are using Times Roman, the font shouldn’t be smaller than 11pt. Please use bullets as often as possible. Paragraphs are hard to scan quickly for the information so the reader may have a tendency to skip over them, missing vital information.
The Dysfunctional Resume. Many people use a resume type that focuses on skills and accomplishments rather than on the chronological work history. This is called a Functional Resume. It may be easier for the applicant to create, but it is extremely difficult for the reader to decipher. Take the time to list your job duties underneath each position even if they are redundant. Otherwise, the reader may be left frustrated with numerous unanswered questions necessary to determine a potential fit. The result will likely be the delete button for this resume.
Missing Work Experience. How many years should I leave on my resume? I get this question almost daily. If you are being interviewed by someone in HR, they will want to know about all of your positions since college. If you have not listed them on the resume, the interview will be very difficult for you to get through. I often meet with candidates who have left off previous experience that could be relevant for positions I am hiring. Don’t make this mistake. Employers really want to hire people with experience in their industry. You don’t have to go into great detail about jobs 20 years ago, but you should at least list the company, the dates and your job title. You never know when that one connection could be the edge you need to land the job.
With today’s fierce competition for every job, a well crafted resume will greatly increase your chances of getting an interview. Understanding that the resume is not a history lesson but a marketing piece, may help you look at it with a fresh perspective. A great first impression could be just the kick-start you need for a new beginning!
Susan Foster Woods – Talis Group, Inc.