Recently, a client came to me, exasperated in her job search because while she was applying for lots of healthcare jobs…she wasn’t hearing back from any.
I asked to see her resume and immediately, I knew why she wasn’t getting call backs. Her email ended in .hotmail and she didn’t just have one type of bullet...she had several, stars and flowers. Yikes.
Resumes look a bit different today than they did 15 years ago. In the early 2000s, we all used Microsoft Word templates. Resumes were busy, included a lot of lines, the fancier ones featured tables, bold-face and italic type were hot along with underlined words, white space wasn’t a thing, and bullet points. Oh my. Did we love bullet points: colons, asterisks, arrows...you name it, I’ve seen it. And it’s not a good thing.
So how can you make your resume stand out? Here’s a list of dos and don’ts.
DON’T use Word templates. You can use Word to create your resume, but do not use their stock templates. Just don’t. And unless you’re in marketing or another creative field, you don’t need a highly stylized resume with numerous text boxes, columns, and images. A simple, clean, linear layout is perfect.
DO manage your content. Make sure you’re putting on your resume what’s relevant to the job you want next, not a laundry list of everything you’ve done. In an ideal world, your resume should showcase the experiences and projects you’ve done to help you get to where you want to go next. Be selective.
DON’T focus on page count. Unless you’re just starting out (hey new college grads!), the one-page limit is a myth. Again, narrow your content down to feature your career highlights, but don’t feel confined to squashing everything on one page.
DO focus on scan-ability and keywords. Many recruiters use keyword search technology, so include the specific words related to the abilities, skills, and expertise the job you’re going after features. Hint: review the job description. Then, design your resume so that it’s easy to read and digest. Remember: simple, clean, minimal, and focused.
DON’T oversell (or undersell). What I mean is this: you want to put your best foot forward, so do include stats, metrics, and specific examples that make you shine on paper. But do not exaggerate or embellish. People love honesty. Trust that even if you can’t do something and you’re the right person for the job, you’ll get the opportunity.
DO evenly set your margins and line-spacing, make sure your section’s headings are clear, and choose a legible font (keep it to two fonts max, so that it’s not busy). My favorite fonts are always going to be ones that are clean and sans serif. Never, and I mean never, use Times New Roman, Comics Sans, or Papyrus.
Finally, DON’T be afraid or get discouraged. Resume writing reflects you and all the hard work you’ve put into yourself over the years. Make sure to not only leave a lasting impression on your potential employer, but also...yourself!
