Resume review
I am in the process of buttoning up my resume. If any one that has experience with resumes would mind reviewing it so I can get some suggestions. I would appreciate it. I can email it to you if you say so.
0
-
Always a good idea to keep a resume updated. You're only making one version?? Where do you intend to apply? I have ~7 different ones that I use as a base and then tailor each one for the position I'm applying for and aim it directly to that one company's needs.
If you'd like, I can review it for you and offer opinions. But opinions are like....@$$holes. Every HR rep or hiring manager will have their own format that they prefer to see, and there's no way of knowing ahead of time! Before you get a phone call for an interview, you can expect 1-3 people to view the first few lines of your resume and that's it. You must pack a powerful punch and attract positive attention within the first 4 lines. This is for hand review and electronic because after the computer scores your buzz words, it will be sent to HR for a manual review.0 -
If you would like to send me a copy, I will take a look tonight. 0 -
I will look at it for you. I will also send you the resume that just landed me a new job so you can compare. Are you using a MS Word template? 0 -
quote:Originally posted by shoff14
I am in the process of buttoning up my resume. If any one that has experience with resumes would mind reviewing it so I can get some suggestions. I would appreciate it. I can email it to you if you say so.
I would be more than happy to look at it and critique it, but are you willing to accept honest, straightforward feedback?
A lot of folks perceive themselves to be Hemingway and although they ask for the help, refuse to accept any of the suggestions.
For example, if a non-executive resume does not fit on one side of one page, it probably will not get read in favor of the hundreds of others received. Also, terse, compact writing style with minimal boldfacing, italicis, underlines, etc. is paramount.
If a resume is too busy or ornate, it probably won't get read in favor of the others.
Also, there is no room for "humor" in resumes, no storytelling, no political or negative commentary about why you left a job, etc.
A resume is a compact, straightforward presentation of your employment history, experience and skillset to a total non-interested stranger who, because of his or her job responsibilities, has to wade through hundreds of resumes and come up with a very short stack of first round candidates for someone else, a person who is dreading the process on their own end.
FWIW, I spent over 15 years reading and categorizing resumes and then interviewing and hiring (or not) hundreds of folks across all disciplines, age groups, skillsets, nationalities, etc.
And, truth-be-told, my wife has far greater experience with resumes than I do as she spent decades as an executive recruiter.
Your call. Email me if you like, preferrably with your resume in Word document format. We'll give it our best shot.
In any event, good luck to you.0 -
My advice to keep it short. No more than 2 pages and 1 is really better unless asked to elaborate beyond a concise listing of schooling and experience. I've sat on hiring committees and I know they look for a quick scan of applicants and anyone too wordy gets tossed in the first round. Be neat and organized. List in chronological order from present or most recent to earliest. If reference letters or other materials are required stack them in the exact order they are listed in the ad or job posting. Sounds silly but sometimes they look for evidence of who can follow directions.
Include a cover letter indicating interest in the position and a very brief statement as to why you are qualified, why you want the job and why the company wants you. One page, tops.
Learn the name of the person receiving the resume and address that person by name rather than "To Whom it May Concern." Call in 3-4 days to confirm that the resume arrived and ask if there is any additional info that is needed. Try to sound enthusiastic. Lack of interest or commitment are the reasons most often cited for passing over an applicant.
Be confident in yourself. Exude confidence (but not smugness). Be bold and God will be with you.0 -
Short, sweet, to the point. No more than 2 pages, one is better. It is RESUME, not a novel. Avoid cute fonts, weird paper. Spell check it, or yu mey luk lik a reel dummie! Check library for some resume guides- styles vary depending on your background, work history, goals. DO NOT LIE- not even a little. Yeah, lotta folks do. Lotta folks get fired when this is discovered. 0 -
I've found it's best to under-exagerate so the prospective boss doesn't perceive you as a threat to their position.[}:)] 0 -
quote:Originally posted by Slow_Hand
I would be more than happy to look at it and critique it, but are you willing to accept honest, straightforward feedback?
Thats what I am hoping for!0 -
quote:Originally posted by SaxonPig
Include a cover letter indicating interest in the position and a very brief statement as to why you are qualified, why you want the job and why the company wants you. One page, tops.
I am going to do this. I recently was part of the hiring process for a person to replace me. It was interesting to note that the people we recieved a cover letter from we were able to learn more about them in their cover letter. A resume seemed to only go so far. Something like that anyways, hard to explain.0 -
On a whole I've found resumes to be over rated! The thinking you have to be so meticulous as to form and structure is like thinking it's an essay, and the grade you receive dictated whether you'll be hired or not! I do have a resume that is 3 pages long, but I've got 30+ yr.s under my belt and its abit hard stuffing all that on anything less. I do keep this short and to the point (in pass job descriptions), plus it is organized where it is easily read. One trick I've use is head hunters normally don't "read" resumes; they have programs to "look" for buzz-words. So I look at what they are asking for, and "correct" my verbiage to indicate these words. NOTE I didn't say lie ...if you don't have any experience in the area don't cut your throat by saying you have! Now my "formula" may not be appropriate for all types of work, but for the engineering field it has worked well for me! Good Luck in your efforts! 0 -
All those guys have given you excellent advice, and I would suggest that you submit your draft resume to each of them for their review and comments.
I have 2 pieces of advice:
1) Be sure you know the name of the hiring authority, and direct your cover letter and envelope to him/her.
2) If it is a job you really want, send your correspondence in one of the large USPS "Priority Mail" envelopes, or send via FedEX, being sure to put the person's name on that envelope.
If you'd like my thoughts, email me at ThunderboltRanch@msn.com, or call me at 503-843-2020, anytime.
Best of luck from...
Doug0 -
I used to be on a review committee for a very competitive training position (we'd get 300+ applications, interview 10 and hire 3). 250 of the applications would go from the secretaries desk to the proverbial trash can without further review.
I also used to prep CVs for serious professional job applications, so I know a little bit about this.
What Saxon Pig said. . .
Remember, LESS IS MORE.
Put the relevant stuff on your resume/CV and NO FLUFF. Put it in chronological order, with most recent first.
You don't have to justify or explain in minute detail every single thing you've ever done, particularly things that are irrelevant to the job or decades old.
If the interviewer needs to know more, they can always ask you. Make them WANT to ask you more.
Providing references at every stage of the game is good. References who are 'known' is even better. (IE it means more if the CEO of a company or chairman of a dept recommends you than someone lower on the chain of command).
For example, I may not know who the chief engineer at Ford is, or even what he does, but if your CV says you worked for him for six months, that's going to be of interest.
Also, make sure there are no time gaps, or if there are, explain them well. This is a major red flag.
If its a "real" job, presume that a criminal background check will be performed on you so if that's a potential issue, better to be up front about it. (You can put it in a separate note.).
Tone down the BS. Experienced employers look at dozens if not hundreds of these, and usually can spot BS from a mile away. You'd be amazed the kind of things a committee of experienced people know (and/or can verify with a single phone call or a few simple questions).
At the same time, don't downplay what you have done. Make sure all relevant professional things are on the CV. Do you have specialized training? Licenses? Experience? PUT IT ON THERE.
Provide a SMALL amount of personal (non professional) information at the end of your resume. Where are you from? Do you have any (non controversial) hobbies or interests? Speak any languages other than English (even badly)? These things IN MODERATION portray you as a "real person" not just a collection of disjointed facts and also provide subjects for later conversation. You'd be amazed who has an aunt from your hometown, etc.
If you have won any honors or awards in non-professional related fields, those kind of things aren't bad to mention (briefly), since they at least show you are skillful or a hard worker.
Stay away from politically charged, religious, or controversial things, unless they are absolutely necessary.
I love beer. . .I love firearms (not at the same time as the beer, obviously). . .I am politically conservative. These things are deliberately NOT on my CV, nor should they be. If they are important to the hirer, the hirer will make that clear during the interview process.
I wouldn't mention, for example, that I was a Baptist (not picking on Baptists, this is just an example), but if I were head of a particular Church, or had significant fundraising experience in said Church, that could be relevant.
Lastly, make sure you PROOFREAD the resume carefully. Spelling or grammatical errors look EXTREMELY BAD.
Also (and this is important) ALWAYS BE GOOD to the support staff (secretaries, people who show you around, etc). These people CAN AND WILL kill you, if you rub them the wrong way, and they can (and often will) help you if you leave a favorable impression.0
Please sign in to leave a comment.
Comments
12 comments