A Resume That Works

 

The first step in getting a new job or promotion is to update your resume. While daunting at first, having a polished resume takes just a small initial time investment. Then minor tweaks and updates as your accomplishments grow throughout your career to keep it in tip-top shape.

Here are a few tips that helped get me in the door at Disney, Citrix, Cisco, and Amazon:

Purpose of the Resume

Always remember that the one purpose of your resume is to get the interview. Your resume will never land you a job all by itself. For interview advice check out my article “Nailing the Interview.”

Keep it Flexible

Your resume should always be adjusted to match the position you are applying for. This personal touch only takes a few minutes to perform and will help immensely in getting past the first line of resume screenings.

Personal Summary

Feel free to add a few sentences about yourself at the top of your resume. This is an opportunity to communicate your personality even before a first phone call, and can really distinguish you as a person among a sea of resume papers.

Be Dynamic

Remember that your resume is your first impression. Try to paint as complete a picture of who you are in the limited space you have. Employers are looking for people that not only are qualified, but also fit the company’s culture. If the only things listed are work experiences, you will come off as dull and stiff. Reserving some space dedicated to personal interests, hobbies, and extracurricular work, along with the personal summary, go a long way in complementing any academic and professional achievements.

You Get 10 Seconds

Much of the time your resume gets 10 seconds or less in the hands of an employer before they move on to the next one. This is why your resume must be structured in a manor that tells your story succinctly and clearly.

No Fluff

Avoid fluff in role descriptions. Especially for young professionals, a resume should only be a single page in length. Not only is there no room to waste on unnecessary wording, fluff distracts the reader from the point you are trying to get across. The hiring staff may not get past needless words to see your true qualifications and capabilities. Also, try your best to keep each bullet point to one line in length, any longer becomes too long for a quick skim.

Quantify, Quantify, Quantify!

Whenever possible quantify your accomplishments and role descriptions. By quantifying what you did you are able convey the level of impact you had while in that position. At the end of the day, employers are looking for people that will bring positive impact to their company, people that will add value instead of coasting along. Instead of describing your daily tasks, explain a project you completed along with the quantified impact it had on the business.

For example: “Implemented new procurement tracking processes, increasing efficiency by 30% and saving $100,000 per year” is much more impressive than “handled daily procurement for my department.”

Be Ready to Back It Up

Each and every sentence, skill, and interest listed is subject to probing in an interview. Make sure that you can confidently and genuinely discuss everything on your resume. During one of my interviews I was asked which Romantic composer was my favorite because I happen to note that era specifically on my resume. There is no worse look than being caught not knowing something you put on your resume, so be careful here. Take the time to review and study your own resume.

Think of the Flow

Keep in mind that your resume is telling your story, a story with no flow is awkward for the reader and they will quickly move on to someone else. A story that flows will capture their attention and naturally keep them reading one line after the other. The format for your resume will change depending on the type of job you are applying for.

At the bottom of the page is my resume as an example to analyze as an example. I open with a personal summary to quickly convey a little bit about myself as a person. Many positions have hard and fast degree/certification requirements for candidates. Having education and certifications in the next section allows the reader to quickly confirm you meet those requirements. From there, work and leadership experience forms the bulk of information covered. This is where you have an opportunity to discuss all the impact you have had in previous positions. The skills list shows a breadth of knowledge related to the job, and helps get through candidate screening software. By this point you will have proven you meet the base requirements and are someone that brings value in every role you perform. Last is a section on specific interests, clubs, and activities. Remember, these last personal details round out your story to show who you are outside of just work.

Test and Refine

No resume is perfect, and no one style works for everyone. Test out different formats, descriptions, and flows to find what works best for you! A great way to do this is to start applying to everything in mass, even if the job is not necessarily one you want. Apply online and at job/career fairs. Have a few different styles and take note of which ones gain the most traction, and why. By doing this early, you can ensure that your best resume is ready for the job you really want.

Example Resume