Thermoforming Report

Resumes – A few myths busted

Ask anyone about what they think about resumes and you will rarely get the same answer. Ask a specific question about a particular format or flow and you will get another round of opinions. As a recruiter, I also have an opinion – an expert one (in my own mind at least!). Here are a few key thoughts (and summary of the video):

  • Myth #1: resumes must be constrained to 1 to 2 pages. Nope! That is incorrect! It is YOUR career so make sure you highlight what you need to effectively communicate who you are, what you are about, and above all what you bring to the table.
  • Myth #2: do resumes really matter? A big, fat yes to that one! They actually matter more than they should in a lot of cases. You really can’t take your resume too seriously as it is a critical part of the initial process.
  • Myth #3: do they have to be in a specific font or font size? No. What they must be is easily readable. Likely in conjunction with the number of pages myth above, I’ve seen 2-page resumes crammed full at an 8-point font. Hard to read usually means being passed over.

Yes, I scan through resumes quickly and 80% of what I see are job descriptions that are passed off as a resume. A resume, by definition, is a “brief account of a person’s education, qualifications, and previous experience, typically sent with a job application.” What that definition lacks is what really makes a resume come to life: results. I need to know what you do but it is more important to know what you’ve done. Yes, I need to scope (dollars, headcount, reporting relationship, technical nature of the role) but results, especially in hard numbers, really make a resume stand out from the crowd… and that is exactly what you are looking for!

My last thought is a metaphor that I tend to use a lot. Resumes are the key that I get to turn to open the door to an interview. It is a great word picture that really highlights the importance of how resumes factor into the overall screening process. Invest time into your resume because it makes a tremendous impact!

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