The recent and persistent economic problems felt not only in our country but also in the world are representative of the dire circumstances facing our families and communities. Due to these perilous economic conditions, many are now pursuing any and all career opportunities available and doing everything they can to secure them. Now more than ever, persuasive, relevant and compelling resumes are one of the most effective tools needed to distinguish one candidate from another.
A compelling resume is often one that grabs the reader’s instant attention and provides a baseline from which to screen out or accept a candidate. Former recruiter and resume guru David Alan Carter candidly acknowledges that “[Resumes are used to] exclude candidates from further consideration. Those resumes that do not exclude their owners are effective: simple as that.” So how do you stay in the race? In a nutshell, there are some simple rules to follow in creating a persuasive resume, and if followed, you too can create a representative portrait of your life and skill set, possibly appealing to a future employer.
Truly persuasive resumes:
Accentuate relevant professional experiences
On average, most recruiters and resume reviewers spend approximately 10-15 seconds on their initial assessment of your resume. Frankly, this has several implications, the most significant being that you have less time to impress that person. It then becomes vital that the content found on the resume you submit aligns with the career opportunity you are seeking.
When listing your professional experiences and work history, it makes sense to first list those that are relevant to the position you are seeking. Keep in mind that when listing those previous work experiences, always identify the most recent of those that rank first. By listing relevant experiences first, you give the reviewer a reason to take a closer look at your resume, making those all-important fifteen seconds count in your favor.
Identify volunteer and charitable work
Contrary to some beliefs, “nice guys (and of course ladies) don’t always finish last.” There has always been a feeling in the job recruiting community that those candidates who are involved in charitable and volunteer work are more likely to contribute to a pleasant work environment. Furthermore, the belief is that these candidates they are more likely to go beyond their responsibilities stated in the job description, making them more valuable to the organization.
In the last ten years, it has even become desirable and acceptable to highlight leadership experiences, skill development, interpersonal relationships, and other positive past events to reinforce the candidate’s experiential position in the eyes of the reviewer. In my experience, it doesn’t really matter if the applicant wasn’t paid for these cases and in fact reinforces their selflessness, loyalty, and commitment in general.
are free of errors
Grammar and punctuation errors are the most common killers that regularly kill resumes. A misspelled name or errant comma can put off a reviewer and can move your resume to the bottom of the pile or even to the top of a trash can.
Contrary to popular belief, the spell checking feature on your desktop or laptop computer is flawed and, given the chance, will fail you in the most unexpected ways. If you are not going to create your resume professionally, I advise you to at least have it professionally edited and proofread.
In most resumes I’ve been lucky enough to develop, one of the most common mistakes is “running” sentences that could easily turn into paragraphs. Short, succinct narrative sentences describing their experiences will suffice. If a reviewer is ever interrupted while scanning your resume, they will at least be left with a complete thought or sentence until they return to your resume. Remember that the bulleted references to your work experiences are not a resume, it is what we commonly call a list.
Have accurate contact and socially acceptable information
In this day and age where many aspire to simplify their lives by using social media and media forums without their knowledge, they often make their professional lives much more tedious due to reckless behavior online.
If you have a Facebook, Twitter, Linked In, or any other social media account, it’s worth making sure that any derogatory information that landed on your page is removed. Also, I encourage all of my resume clients not to accept new “friends or followers” while they are being seriously considered for a career opportunity. I say this because, if for no other reason, you should avoid any practice or instance that could potentially disqualify you for the position.
When looking for a career opportunity in the “real world”, simple is always best. For example, selecting a personal email address is often the biggest hurdle for some. I have never understood the reason for creating an email address that includes references to dates of birth, social security numbers, or other relevant personal data that could give criminals insight into how to invade and steal your identity. Simply using your fist initial and your full last name will create a more visually appealing email address.
When including your home address, I always advise people to visit the Postal Service website at usps.com and click on the residential tab. Check the postal service version of your official address and use it for your resume. When listing your home phone numbers as your primary contact number, it pays to have an answering machine associated with that number.
Lastly, I’m not an advocate of using mobile phone numbers for resumes just because it gives people too much access to you during your downtime. The contact information listed above should suffice.
Highlight recent educational achievements
For those who have degrees and other educational experience to list on their resume, always list the highest degree first. The general rule is that if you have a graduate degree, you don’t need to list your high school. If your most recent and highest degree is a bachelor’s degree, then your high school listing is appropriate only if your high school graduation occurred within the past ten years. This is just to make sure you don’t date yourself. If a high school diploma is your highest academic level, then it makes sense to provide as much charity/volunteer experience as possible as mentioned in the second feature listed above.
Remember that if you have obtained a specialization certificate or have undergone some unique training; be sure to include them before your high school credentials, as they offer more insight into your recent skill sets. Finally, always remember that reviewers are usually not interested in grade point averages, but you should list academic honors. (cum laude, dean’s list, graduated with honors) that you have earned
Never forget that a complete and well-constructed resume is a tangible reflection of you and as such should receive your full and serious attention. If you heed these warnings, you should be well on your way to finding the career opportunity designed just for you.