Monday, May 9, 2016

Resume Trips and Traps

 
image: group of business people talkingThese days, hiring managers often anticipate hundreds of resumes for a single job opening. According to one eye-tracking study, they only spend about six seconds before making their initial "fit/no fit" decision. If you or someone you know is about to enter the job market, here are some resume tips to keep in mind:

Boring objectives are worse than no objective. If you decide to include an objective, be compelling. Instead of writing, "To obtain a marketing position," try something like, "10-year electronic marketing veteran with proven online consumer conversion rate seeks to share her success with a thriving mission-driven company."

Photos are better suited for online profiles not resumes. Photos can distract hiring managers, shaving valuable time from viewing an applicant's qualifications.

Vague or generic responsibilities in your job experience listings don't establish credibility. Be specific. List actual sales volumes or increases, number of clients served, awards, software programs used or regulations with which you complied. If you trained others, what did you train them on? If you led a team, how many team members were there and were you responsible for scheduling, work assignments, performance reviews or other things?

Be cognizant of spacing and layout, as type size, density of text and formatting all matter. If the page looks like it's difficult to read at a glance, it might be set aside.

Unprofessional email addresses like "HarleyMan@" or "bling4me@" are all in good fun, but they may turn off perspective employers. Instead, create a new, more professional email address for your job search.

Sending the same resume to every potential employer, without customizing a few specifics, could cost you. Employers are more apt to hire those who put some thought into how well they fit the company and the job. Adjust your resume for each job posting to highlight specific skills and experiences asked for.

Typos are bad no matter what job you're after. They demonstrate lack of professional care or attention to detail. Whenever you make a change or revision to your resume, make sure someone else does a careful proofread for you.

Sources: Inc., Business Insider, U.S. News & World Report
 

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