Your resume must differentiate you from other candidates with similar experience. Does yours?
I love working with people in technical fields. We understand each other’s concern for being precise and getting things right.
The thing that can hang up detail-oriented people who try to write resumes is – you guessed it – the details.
I have seen 10-page resumes that include every project in every position the candidate ever held, including those from internships and university class projects. It’s wondrous information, and an employer is going to take one look and pass it by. They simply don’t have the time.
The opposite happens, as well. A recent client with 20+ years of experience had been told that a resume must be only one page long. By the time he squeezed five positions onto the page, they were so generic that an employer couldn’t tell anything significant about the candidate.
Fortunately, there is middle ground. It is called representative information.
If you’ve already gathered your accomplishments in each position you’ve held, choose the three that best represent your most recent position and one each for earlier jobs.
Remember to choose the accomplishments that align most closely with your target. For example, if you have chosen sales as your target, use examples of sales accomplishments even if your job was in management.
Resumes don’t contain every bit of information about every job you’ve ever held. They are marketing documents that differentiate you from other candidates with similar skills and experience. How does your resume differentiate you?
If you’re having a tough time paring down your career information to resume size, or if you’re trying to crowbar 20 years of experience into one page, contact me right away so we can get you on the right track. Writing a resume shouldn’t be a painful experience.
Related
- Update Your Resume: Tell the truth
- Update Your Resume: Be transparent to let an employer know who you are
- Update Your Resume: Align your resume with your target
- Update Your Resume: Give evidence of your accomplishments
Image courtesy Stuart Miles via freedigitalphotos.net.
