I Don’t Know How To Say This… Your Resume is Appalling
There are a lot of businesses out there that claim to know how to review a resume. In fact, there are a lot of entrepreneurs who think this is a great way to make an extra buck (even I was considering charging $50 for the service!). I’m not one of those guys – I think it’s unethical to take advantage of the desperation unemployment tends to engender.
The Economy looks to be getting worse. It only makes sense to learn how to review your own resume or to be able to offer a friend the same.
Wax On, Wax Off, Wax On…
The only reason a resume exists is to show what you can do for an employer. This can only be accomplished by making all the information intuitive, simple to understand, and easy to find. Things to look for:
Name and contact information at the top, easy to read, easy to understand.
Most important information closer to top.
Consistent formatting.
Emphasis used only when necessary.
Action verbs used for every skill.
Bullet Points line up.
Develop an Eye for Detail
On a resume, it’s the little things that matter. The difference between $50,000 a year and waiting in line at the unemployment office can often be as little as mistaking “their” and “there” and “they’re”. Worse than grammatical errors are spelling errors – unforgivable in an age with spell-checking available to anyone just slightly more diligent than a slug.
Less annoying but still bad is inconsistencies in period use at the end of fragments – particularly in skill or achievement lists. Either use them or don’t – pick a way and stay consistent. Along these same lines, failing to line up the bullet points on lists is just plain dumb. Every list on the document should be formatted so all the items of the same level are in vertical alignment.
Brevity is Appreciated
In an economy with 13% unemployment (including the soft-stats), every job is likely to receive stacks upon stacks of resumes. The hiring manager needs to see a resume that is concise and to-the-point. The goal isn’t to use as few words as possible, but instead to present the content in the clearest, most concise way possible. Eradicate waste! It was Thomas Jefferson who said, “The most valuable of all talents is that of never using two words when one will do.” He invented the light bulb wrote the damn Declaration of Independence (thanks Josh – wow, I must have been stoned); he’s worth listening to.
Wording and the order of sentences is key.
Always put the most important things first in lists.
Always list the most relevant job first.
Always put the action word first.
Following these very basic guidelines can prevent a lot of job-search heartache.
I don't know how I missed that. Great catch, I've corrected it - thanks for the comment! Hahah.
Let me know how your new resume goes - if you need any help, you know who to ask! :)
-Nick
Josh Peifer
Great blog as always, Nick. I am actually rewriting my resume right now, and I really love your site. But I have to point out that Thomas Edison invented the light bulb.
Psychotic Resumes is a Gen-Y (Millennial) job survival guide created by Nick Armstrong to help new professionals build stronger resumes and cover letters so they can find a better job. It's our goal to help Gen-Y do better at interviews and on the job, promoting strong leadership, entrepreneurship, and common sense.
How To Review Your Own Resume
The Economy looks to be getting worse. It only makes sense to learn how to review your own resume or to be able to offer a friend the same.
The only reason a resume exists is to show what you can do for an employer. This can only be accomplished by making all the information intuitive, simple to understand, and easy to find. Things to look for:
Less annoying but still bad is inconsistencies in period use at the end of fragments – particularly in skill or achievement lists. Either use them or don’t – pick a way and stay consistent. Along these same lines, failing to line up the bullet points on lists is just plain dumb. Every list on the document should be formatted so all the items of the same level are in vertical alignment.
In an economy with 13% unemployment (including the soft-stats), every job is likely to receive stacks upon stacks of resumes. The hiring manager needs to see a resume that is concise and to-the-point. The goal isn’t to use as few words as possible, but instead to present the content in the clearest, most concise way possible. Eradicate waste! It was Thomas Jefferson who said, “The most valuable of all talents is that of never using two words when one will do.” He invented the light bulb wrote the damn Declaration of Independence (thanks Josh – wow, I must have been stoned); he’s worth listening to.
Wording and the order of sentences is key.
Following these very basic guidelines can prevent a lot of job-search heartache.