There are basically two different resume formats that you should consider. As a hiring manager, I’ve seen all sorts of different formats, some of them wildly creative and some of them virtually unreadable. By far, I (as well as most other hiring managers) prefer one of the following commonly accepted formats: the “Chronological” resume format…
In my last post I talked about common resume mistakes. This time, I’m going to drill down a bit further and discuss three specific items you should never include on your resume and why. First: any statement about a “job objective” or “career objective”. This is a rather large area of controversy among resume writing…
Due to popular demand, and since It’s been many months since I’ve posted any advice about resume writing, my next few posts will focus on this very important tool in your job hunting arsenal. Before getting too deep into resume writing, I’d like to review some common resume mistakes to keep in mind before you…
Did you know that one misspelled word or grammar problem can cause your resume to get put in the trash? The hiring manager may not even look at the rest of your resume and see all the benefits you bring to the table. They feel that if you couldn’t send in a proper resume, then…
The simple answer to this question is of course ‘no’. However, in the publication ‘The Ethics of Resume Writing’, Clinton D. Korver suggests that more than half of job applicants in the United States habitually lie on their resume. Some people try and ease their conscience by saying they are ‘padding’ their resume but in…
If you are looking for a job, you probably know that one of the first things a company will ask for is your resume. If you do not feel your resume is as professional looking as it could be, or if you are not sure how to write one at all, consider hiring a resume…
In this last of my four part series on tuning up your resume, I’d like to cover some format and content suggestions. There are two basic resume formats: the “chronological” format and the “functional” format. In the chronological format, you list your employers in date order, beginning with your most recent employer and working backwards. …
One of the questions I’m frequently asked as a hiring manager concerns the proper length for a resume. Many people are under the impression that the longer your resume, the better. I’ve even seen advice floating around that recommends one page in length for every five years of experience, or one page for every employer,…
In my last post, I explained my number one favorite way to tune up your resume: stating your experience in terms of accomplishments. In this post, I’ll explain my second most favorite way, which is this: replace your “Job Objective” statement with a “Summary Statement”. About 80 to 90 percent of the resumes I see…
One of the most common questions I get as a hiring manager goes something like this: “I’ve sent out my resume to dozens (or even hundreds) of job openings and haven’t received a single response or offer to interview. What’s wrong? Could it be my resume?” If you too have doubts about the effectiveness of…
In my last post I stressed the importance of customizing your resume to specifically match every position to which you apply. Since I’m frequently asked how to go about doing this, I wanted to go into a bit of detail for you. At the very beginning of your resume, it’s important that you include specific…
I’ve been a hiring manager in various industries for over 25 years and estimate that I’ve hired somewhere between 250 and 300 people. Since I probably read at least 15 – 20 resumes for each opening, this means I’ve read about 4,000 to 5,000 resumes during my career. Sadly, only perhaps one out of every…