Being in the recruiting field as long as I have, I have seen my share of resumes. I have seen people make big mistakes with their resume all for the hopes of standing out among the crowd. While certain professions may admire some creativity with resumes, it is definitely not the mainstream. There is a resume layout that I use that gets results.
There are many resume layouts that you can easily find looking around the web. Just do a search for free resume layouts and you will fiind plenty. The problem is that most of them are junk in my opinion. For example, if a resume starts with Resume Objective, trash it. Resume objective are like stating the obvious and most recruiters and hiring managers ignore them for that reason. A nice professional resume layout will showcase these three principles of resume writing.
1. A specific target. The biggest mistake most people make in this current age is trying to go the “one resume fits all jobs” approach. Sorry, but that no longer works. Today, more than ever, requires you to be specific with your resume layout if you are going to locate the next big job. Hiring managers are not looking to hire generalists. General, repetitive tasks are outsourced oversees. Companies what to hire specialists. You have to display that on your resume. This is why the “above the fold” portionof your resume is so important. You ought to have a title at the top of the resume displaying a specific position that you are going for. Also, add some short bullet points showing that you have the skills to do the job.
2. A flexible template. Some of the best resume layouts are those that allow for flexibility. By that I mean that you can quickly change a few items and switch the focus of the resume. I recently did this with a coaching client of mine. He had prior experience in audit, tax, controllership, and finance. I created for him 4 different resumes. We kept the resume layout, but changed the title at the top of the resume to target each type of role. We added 12 short bullet points on the first page with keywords and phrases of his skills sets and easily switched the focus around for each. We also move some bullet points around in his professional experience section to highlight a specific skill. The results worked wonders for him and he started getting interviews rather quickly. The key is that you have to make it easy for people and speel out what you are trying to accomplish. They do not want to dig for gold in your resume. You have the responsibility of bringing to the top.
3. It must sell your accomplishments. I am amazed at how many resume I see that take no effort in listing accomplishments (whether big or small). They use the humility excuse that they do not like talking about themselves. While it is noble, it will leave you hungry. You do not have to overdue it, but there is an important point to remember. Companies want to hire result-oriented people. Hiring managers want people that make them look good to their bosses. Showing what you can do is an important piece of the whole process and one that you must do. Include this in your resume layout.
So, there you have it. If you have a resume layout that includes the above principles then you are well on your way. If this is still a bit over-whelming for you, I do have a few slots open from time to time in which I can take over this process for you. Feel free to leverage my years of experience working with hiring managers in getting candidates in for an interview. For more information, click on the “Resume Makeover” button at the top of this page.
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Jonathan is an Executive Recruiter/Career Coach that has successfully placed hundreds of Accounting & Finance Professionals. If you are currently struggling in your career, he is available on a limited basis for personal 1-on-1 career coaching and for resume makeovers.
