Maximizing Your Job Application Efforts: Resume Do's and Don'ts
While online job applications are convenient, a well-crafted resume is crucial for success. Stacie Haller, chief career advisor at Resume Builder with over 30 years of staffing experience, offers insights on creating an effective resume.
Key Elements to Remove:
1. Photos: Including a headshot can lead to age discrimination and snap judgments.
2. Objectives: These waste space, as recruiters spend only about 6 seconds reviewing each resume.
3. Full street addresses: Listing only city and state prevents potential discrimination based on neighborhood.
4. Outdated email domains: Use a current email provider like Gmail instead of AOL.
Formatting Tips:
- Keep it simple and readable
- Use a single column with clear sections
- Opt for short bullet points
- Recent graduates: Lead with education
- Experienced professionals: Start with work experience in reverse-chronological order
- Include a separate skills section for technical abilities and certifications
- Tailor bullet points to highlight relevant accomplishments
Resume Length:
- Early career (20s): One page
- Most professionals: One to two pages
- Tenured workers (20+ years): Focus on the last decade of experience
- C-suite executives: Three to four pages
Tailoring Your Resume:
Create a strong base resume for 90% of applications. For the remaining 10%, quickly adjust bullet points to match specific job requirements. This process should only take a few minutes per application.
By following these guidelines, job seekers can create compelling resumes that effectively showcase their qualifications and increase their chances of success in the job market.