resume can bring on challenges whether you are just starting your Indianapolis job search or if you have many years of work experience. When you have a long work history it is hard to know what to include and what to leave out. It may have been years since the last time you needed to even worry about a resume. Resume etiquette has changed, and it is important to change along with it.
At That’s Good HR, we are constantly reading the most recent and relevant material out there that applies to the staffing industry and the Indianapolis job market. I recently came across an article on http://jobs.aol.com/ that gave helpful tips for updating your resume to remain relevant in the eyes of the recruiter. Here are some of the key items I would like to share with you.
1. Always include your e-mail address to your resume. If there is no e-mail address listed on your resume, it will be more than difficult for an employer to contact you quickly, so they may just pass you up in favor of the next candidate who listed an e-mail address.
2. Include links to social media profiles. Many believe that social media will eventually surpass or replace e-mail. Be current by creating a LinkedIn profile http://www.linkedin.com and displaying the URL within your contact information.
3. Don’t make your years of experience the focal point of your top summary. Eliminate phrases such as “over 30 years of experience” or “seasoned professional.” If you have had a 30 year career but the last 10 years have been in a specific industry or function, focus on that rather than the total number of years.
4. Consolidate early experience. Account for early work experience to keep the chronology consistent and transparent, but abbreviate this experience when possible. You can include a section called “additional experience” and provide an overview of your earlier jobs.
5. List current technical skills if relevant. If you are proficient in Excel or some other programs that is important to your job, list it on your resume. It is always helpful to list technical skills that are relevant near the beginning of a resume.
6. Eliminate old phrases. Avoid phrases on the resume such as “references available upon request.” Employers know that if they want you to provide references they can ask you for them. Other outdated phrases include “responsible for,” “duties included,” and “out of the box thinker.” Instead use action verbs such as: Revised, Directed, Interpreted, Adjusted, Evaluated, Exceeded, Managed, etc.
7. Use an updated resume format. When everyone used a typewriter to create their resume, it was a lot easier to put the dates of employment for each position on the far left. But now with computers, putting the dates to the far right is a more updated strategy and placing dates to the right allows better use of the space on the page. When it comes to dates of employment it is not only important to include the year but always the months. For example, January 2000 – January 2005. Also, choose an updated font such as Arial, Arial Narrow, Times New Roman, or Tahoma. Overall, strive for readability.
Ask others to critique your resume and reword as needed to ensure clarity. Use adequate spacing and emphasis (using bold and caps) to enhance readability. Don’t try to cram too much information onto one page. Emphasize accomplishments; quantify them when possible. It is important to be able to defend what you write. People’s backgrounds vary widely, so you should format and organize your resume in a manner which best presents your skills and supports your career focus.
Good luck!
