Resumes Some Bad Advice!

Resumes Some Bad Advice! ShareShare1TweetRecently I asked some colleagues in a LinkedIn group what bad advice they had heard for job seekers. It was a very popular topic! Theres a lot of questionable guidance out there. Next week Ill look at misleading wisdom about job interviews. Now lets start with resumes. A resume should never be longer than one page. Maybe this was once true, but times have changed. Recent surveys of employers show that while a substantial minority prefer a single page, few insist on it, and a two-page resume is preferred for highly experienced candidates, as long as the information is relevant and its easy to read. (Readability comes from the document being well written and well formatted. Two pages crammed with big, unbroken blocks of poorly written text in a 9-point font wont cut it.) Following this bad advice could mean short-changing yourself on your resume. It could cost you interviews. Use a Functional Format to conceal lack of experience or weaknesses in your career path. In a functional resume the candidates experience is presented in categories according to job functions and skills, without dates. A brief work history follows, stating only job titles, companies and dates. Thus, the work history is downplayed and the skills are emphasized. Unfortunately, hiring managers and HR professionals are hip to it. They know that job seekers use this format when they have something to hide. In rare cases, it may be the best strategy available, but more often these resumes end up in the recycling bin. Take all the dates off your resume so they cant tell how old you are. Again, straight into the recycling bin. You should lie on your resume if the truth doesnt look good. Most people reading this article would never do this, but I feel it needs a mention. Theres a strong consensus among career coaches (including me) that lying is a mistake in job search for reasons both ethical and practical. Yet we all occasionally hear that someone was advised to fudge dates of employment, for example, to prevent a gap. Dont do it! The potential damage to your reputation is more costly than its worth. Good resume writers know how to handle all kinds of resume challenges lengthy unemployment, lack of key skills, a zigzag career path honestly but persuasively. Youd be surprised how good your resume can look. You should write your own resume. You may have gotten good jobs using the resume you wrote for yourself. But with a better resume, you may have gotten even better jobs. And you would likely have spent less time and stress in the job-hunt jungle. Admittedly, I have a bias here. But let me ask you, do you cut your own hair? Good resume writers study their craft for years, and know all the ins and outs. And lets do a little cost-benefit analysis on this investment. The cost is in the hundreds (usually) and the benefit is likely to be in the thousands. A top-notch professional resume is almost always better than a self-written one. The key is to hire the right person. Hire a resume writer from Craigslist. I love to use Craigslist for some things. But if you want an excellent, highly qualified resume writer, a better method is to look up certified professionals via the websites of professional associations like Career Directors International or the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches. Or ask for recommendations, or look for reviews. Either way, talk to a few writers and ask a lot of questions before you decide. Dont bother with a resume many people get jobs without one. Theres a grain of truth to this, since networking is generally more powerful than sending in resumes cold to advertised job openings. But going into a job search without a resume is like going into the wilderness with just a knife, a blanket and a can of beans. Its heroic, eccentric and likely to leave you cold and hungry. In job search, as in anything, A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. Keep reading up on job search, and youll get better at separating the wheat from the chaff. And dont hesitate to seek personalized counsel from someone who can consider all the aspects of your unique career path. (Thanks for your ideas, members of Job-Hunt Help.) Resumes Some Bad Advice! ShareShare1TweetRecently I asked some colleagues in a LinkedIn group what bad advice they had heard for job seekers. It was a very popular topic! Theres a lot of questionable guidance out there. Next week Ill look at misleading wisdom about job interviews. Now lets start with resumes. A resume should never be longer than one page. Maybe this was once true, but times have changed. Recent surveys of employers show that while a substantial minority prefer a single page, few insist on it, and a two-page resume is preferred for highly experienced candidates, as long as the information is relevant and its easy to read. (Readability comes from the document being well written and well formatted. Two pages crammed with big, unbroken blocks of poorly written text in a 9-point font wont cut it.) Following this bad advice could mean short-changing yourself on your resume. It could cost you interviews. Use a Functional Format to conceal lack of experience or weaknesses in your career path. In a functional resume the candidates experience is presented in categories according to job functions and skills, without dates. A brief work history follows, stating only job titles, companies and dates. Thus, the work history is downplayed and the skills are emphasized. Unfortunately, hiring managers and HR professionals are hip to it. They know that job seekers use this format when they have something to hide. In rare cases, it may be the best strategy available, but more often these resumes end up in the recycling bin. Take all the dates off your resume so they cant tell how old you are. Again, straight into the recycling bin. You should lie on your resume if the truth doesnt look good. Most people reading this article would never do this, but I feel it needs a mention. Theres a strong consensus among career coaches (including me) that lying is a mistake in job search for reasons both ethical and practical. Yet we all occasionally hear that someone was advised to fudge dates of employment, for example, to prevent a gap. Dont do it! The potential damage to your reputation is more costly than its worth. Good resume writers know how to handle all kinds of resume challenges lengthy unemployment, lack of key skills, a zigzag career path honestly but persuasively. Youd be surprised how good your resume can look. You should write your own resume. You may have gotten good jobs using the resume you wrote for yourself. But with a better resume, you may have gotten even better jobs. And you would likely have spent less time and stress in the job-hunt jungle. Admittedly, I have a bias here. But let me ask you, do you cut your own hair? Good resume writers study their craft for years, and know all the ins and outs. And lets do a little cost-benefit analysis on this investment. The cost is in the hundreds (usually) and the benefit is likely to be in the thousands. A top-notch professional resume is almost always better than a self-written one. The key is to hire the right person. Hire a resume writer from Craigslist. I love to use Craigslist for some things. But if you want an excellent, highly qualified resume writer, a better method is to look up certified professionals via the websites of professional associations like Career Directors International or the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches. Or ask for recommendations, or look for reviews. Either way, talk to a few writers and ask a lot of questions before you decide. Dont bother with a resume many people get jobs without one. Theres a grain of truth to this, since networking is generally more powerful than sending in resumes cold to advertised job openings. But going into a job search without a resume is like going into the wilderness with just a knife, a blanket and a can of beans. Its heroic, eccentric and likely to leave you cold and hungry. In job search, as in anything, A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. Keep reading up on job search, and youll get better at separating the wheat from the chaff. And dont hesitate to seek personalized counsel from someone who can consider all the aspects of your unique career path. (Thanks for your ideas, members of Job-Hunt Help.)