Who knew that résumés, like fashion, follow trends?
We're not talking pink, scented paper here. It's still the traditional workhorse of the business world: the same 8½-by-11-inch, white or cream-colored document designed to get you in the door for an interview. It's your "ticket to the show," says Martin Weitzman, managing director of Gilbert Résumés in New York.
 BRANNON COMBS/Staff |
 Photos by LEITA COWART/Special |
| 'Bullet points are wonderful — short and sweet and can be read at a glance.' CALLY MASTIO OfficeTeam |
 |
| 'One size does not fit all. You might have one, two or three different résumés.' EMILY COSTELLO-RUDELL Robert Half International |
But there are subtle changes this season.
If you're not getting as many calls from prospective employers as you'd like, it may not be your skills or the slowing economy at fault. Your presentation may be dated. You might need a résumé makeover.
Longer documents are in.
Longer résumés are not only acceptable but also preferred by many employers these days, according to a 2007 survey by Accountemps, a staffing service for temporary accounting, finance and bookkeeping professionals. While more than half (52 percent) of 150 senior executives from human resources, finance and marketing departments of the nation's largest companies said they preferred a one-page résumé for a staff position, that figure dropped from 73 percent 10 years ago. Two-page résumés for staff applicants were favored by 44 percent of respondents, up from 25 percent 10 years ago.
For executives, the majority of hiring managers said that two pages was the preferred length (61 percent now, compared with 64 percent a decade ago), while 31 percent said that they preferred three pages or more. Only 7 percent wanted to see three or more pages 10 years ago.
"There was a time when job-search experts told applicants to keep their résumés to one page, because no one had time to read more," said John Weiss, owner of Atlanta Résumé Service, "but that's not a true tenet anymore." For one thing, people change jobs more often than they used to, and older workers have more skills and experience to showcase.
"A résumé needs to successfully portray a person's work history and experience, so that an employer can make a quick decision about the next step," said Cally Mastio, division director for the Buckhead branch of OfficeTeam, which specializes in providing business clients with office-support, administrative and customer-service staff.
With companies flooded by applicants who find it easier to search for jobs and apply online, "employers want to see more detail upfront," said Emily Costello-Rudell, vice president of major accounts for Robert Half International in the Atlanta office. "They're looking for enough information to determine whether it would be appropriate to invite you in for an interview."
Whether your résumé is one, two or three pages, that first page has to grab an employer's eye in eight to 10 seconds, Weiss said. "A hiring manager wants to know immediately what you do, so that he can tell if your résumé is in the ballpark for the job."
He tells candidates to put clear but generic titles across the fronts of their résumés — such as administrative assistant, accounting manager or financial analyst. The title needs to fit the job and the direction you want your career to go. Under that, write two or three sentences or bullets that list your chief strengths or accomplishments.
If there are skills or experience that the employer is looking for — such as accounts payable, auditing or budgeting — you'd put those buzzwords (or key words) across the top of the page, so that an employer can quickly see that you have them, Weiss said.
"Those buzzwords will help him decide if he wants to read on," he said.
First impressions count.
"Make sure your résumé is clear and easy to read," Weiss said. "Use one type font, consistent margins and a typeface that isn't too small."
Create a text-only version in a standard format (like Word) that easily can be sent electronically. "You don't want to be eliminated because of how your résumé comes across — literally — over the Internet," Costello-Rudell said.
The trend is not to put "references supplied on request" at the end of the résumé, experts say. It's assumed. Bring a separate page of references with you to an interview.
Cut and fit always matter.
The cut, fabric and fit of a classic suit make it stand out. A good résumé is more than content; "it's how that information is prioritized and summarized that makes a difference," Costello-Rudell said.
Make sure to use active voice, avoid repeating "I" and keep the punctuation consistent at the end of bullets in a list.
For example, instead of "I was responsible for supervising a staff of 10 employees," write, "Managed 10 employees."
"You never want to embellish or add information that isn't relevant to the job market. Keep your information accurate, concise and to the point," Costello-Rudell said.
References to religion, politics or hobbies — unless they directly relate to the job — are out, Weitzman said. Education, computer and language skills, and professional certifications are in.
If you're new to the job market, a one-page résumé may be a perfect fit for your skills and limited experience. Stretching it to two pages won't impress anyone.
On the other hand, if you've worked in a technical field for 20 years in different job types and hold multiple certifications, you may need three pages.
In the past, résumés often included job descriptions with your responsibilities in paragraph form.
"Now, employers are more interested in your accomplishments or contributions. They want to know what return on investment you brought to that organization and can bring to theirs," Mastio said. "Bullet points are wonderful — short and sweet and can be read at a glance.
"It all comes down to the words you use, and you want your words to match the key words used in the job description." Because some companies use software to screen résumés, having those key words can mean making the cut.
Bullets help make it easier to scan for vital information when hiring managers are categorizing résumés as those they will read, won't read or may read later.
Strategize to look your best.
"A résumé is an advertisement, and you're the product," Weitzman said. "The first page — particularly the top quarter of the first page — has to have impact. This is where you position or brand yourself."
Forget starting with an objective statement; it's out-of-date and unnecessary, experts say.
"An objective statement can be an eliminator. Instead, write a summary of qualifications. This is your sales pitch. Use it to establish your value by telling people why you're ready for this job and what you bring to the table," Weitzman said.
As you list your accomplishments for each job, tie them to the bottom line whenever possible.
"You can change the thought processes of the reader by what you put in your summary of qualifications and what skills you choose to highlight," Weitzman said.
For example, if you have both sales and buyer experience in retail, you might describe yourself as "an accomplished buyer with 20 years' sales experience" or "a successful salesperson with strong buyer experience," depending on which is more applicable to the position.
"There's nothing wrong with emphasizing one area over another, as long as you don't lie. You're creating a roadmap for the employers to follow, presenting the information the way you want them to read it and setting up what they'll ask in the interview," Weitzman said.
Choose how far back you go in listing job experience based on how relevant the previous work is to the job that you want. You can summarize jobs that were similar or leave them off if they were long ago.
"You never reveal everything," Weiss said. "A bullet may say you saved the company a half-million dollars. Get them to bring you in for an interview to hear how you did that."
Part of your strategy includes deciding whether to write a chronological, functional or combination résumé.
"Most employers prefer a straightforward chronological résumé, where you list jobs, starting with your most recent position [and] giving dates, title or function, and a summary of contributions, skills or accomplishments," Mastio said. They want to see a progression of jobs with increasing responsibilities.
If you're a new worker, have been out of the job market or are switching careers, a functional résumé that highlights transferable skills may work better. You might want more than one type of document.
Choose your outfit to fit the occasion.
"With the computer, it's easy to customize your résumé to fit the position to which you're applying. You might have skills that could fit the roles of accountant, analytical finance manager or auditor," Costello-Rudell said. "One résumé won't match all those roles; one size does not fit all. You might have one, two or three different résumés.
"It's fine to have variance, as long as each is true and reflects your experience."
Just remember to write down which résumé you sent where, so that you can show up to the interview with copies of the right one in hand, Weitzman said.
Vote for this story!