Ah, the resume. Such a difficult task for so many people! I'm going to give the formula to what I believe to be the most effective, impactful way to design your resume - not only for the reader, but for technology. Remember, most of the resumes both Headhunters like me and company portals receive are tranferred automatically into a database. I use my database for each new search I conduct, so if the correct information isn't in your resume, there is a chance you won't come up when I look for candidates.
1. Keep your resume simple. I recommend a paragraph that describes each position you've held - tell the story of what you do/have done. It's like writing a brief job description. Imagine you are the hiring manager - you'd want to see what this person is responsible for on a daily basis. Be specific about responsibilities, even if they seem mundane. Well, not too mundane - don't include filing, data entry, etc....
2. After each description, list specific, measurable accomplishments. What did you do? How did you succeed? What goals were reached? What impact and value did you bring to that organization? Numbers, metrics, specific examples. Again, if you were the hiring manager, what would jazz you up about having this person on their team?
3. ALWAYS include your address and contact information! I KNOW I miss candidates while starting new research - ex. if my client prefers not to relocate, I begin a search that includes geography. If you don't include your address and I search to include the city and/or state and it's not there, your resume won't show up in my search.
4. Adding tables and lists of key words and areas of expertise is okay, but believe me, if your resume is written correctly, you won't need it. If you do include it, don't get carried away. Personally, if I have to scroll down a page to get to where your current or last position is, I lose interest. And if I don't understand what exactly it is you've done, no good!
I make my living (and have for years) recruiting externally for my clients, so I may be cutting off my nose to spite my face here.... I specialize in the Supply Chain industry and know what I'm looking at when I see a resume specific to procurement, strategic sourcing, etc. Many internal company recruiters do not - so if you send your resume in to a company's web site (which I don't recommend, but that's a whole other blog) and the correct verbiage and information isn't there, you will fall through their cracks.
Happy resume writing!
Thursday, September 2, 2010
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