Career Resumes

“I've never really felt confident putting together career resumes," Janet said. "I know there are certain things I should cover on my resume, but it's hard to figure out the best way to show my experience.

“The problem is that most people think of a resume like a job history," I said. "Instead, you should think of it like a marketing brochure for you."

“There are certain pieces of information that should be included on career resumes, but a lot of people are caught up in the old ideas about format, style, and protocol. You need to be up to date on what a new resume should like look, when to bend the rules, and what an employer's expectations are today."

"What are the mistakes people?" Janet asked.

"First, remember that the goal of your resume is to get an interview, not to get the job. To get the interview, you need to convince a potential employer you are worthy of their limited time. Your resume is like a sales brochure for you, representing your skills and accomplishments to a potential employer. It is likely that an employer will only take a few seconds to skim your resume, so it is important that your resume emphasizes what you could do for an employer."

"Your resume needs to have enough information about your qualifications to grab an employer's interest, without including information that will disqualify you. It must be organized in a way that a potential employer can look it over briefly, and in a few seconds, understand if you are a good fit for a position. If your resume is difficult to read, if an employer has to dig to find relevant information, or if it includes inappropriate information, you reduce your chances of making it to the next step in the search process."

"Another mistake people make in preparing their resume is to assume that a potential employer or interviewer will carefully read the resume. Most won't. Instead, they will skim it, looking for a few key points. If your resume is not reader-friendly, that brief overview may miss your most important accomplishments. Or it could lead a reader to focus on experience that is not relevant to the position you are shooting for."

"What about an objective on a resume?" Janet asked.

Contrary to popular belief, an objective is not a mandatory part of a resume. In fact, there are other elements that can substitute for a career objective and make your resume much more effective.

Highlight Your Accomplishments, Not Your Responsibilities

"What other mistakes should I avoid?" Janet asked.

"Too many resumes are just a list of responsibilities," I said. "When I see the phrase 'Responsibilities include...' I know that person doesn't have a resume that represents them effectively."

"Employers want to see why you have more potential than the hundreds or thousands of other applicants. To demonstrate this, describe how you improved a process or product, made a significant suggestion, or contributed something of value to an organization."

"This aspect of your resume can be particularly difficult to do for oneself, because it feels a lot like bragging, which many of us have been taught not to do. It is okay to single out something you did once, a suggestion you made, or a procedure you developed. Think about when you took the initiative to make something happen, or when you went above and beyond your typical responsibilities to benefit your employer."

"Accomplishments also include skills you learned," I added. "If you can quantify your accomplishments, all the better. Don’t worry if you cannot. Not every experience lends itself to number-based explanations."

Other common mistakes to avoid on career resumes