Tag Archives: resume

Creating A Resume From a Template? Read this First.

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Resume templates are amazing tools. They allow candidates to create stunning resumes in a short amount of time. They are usually easy to read, cover all the details, and look very professional. However, if you use a template resume, there are a couple of mistakes that are easy to make. Read on to find out some of the most commonly made mistakes when using a template resume and how to avoid them.

Not filling in all of the sections. This seems so simple, but you would be surprised how often we see things like [company name here], [more detail about your role here], and [add your reference here]. Recruiters and hiring managers usually take about 30 seconds or less to review a resume, but that is an extremely noticeable mistake that will ALWAYS be caught. Employers want to know that you have attention to detail, and this is a quick way to get yourself dismissed from the candidate search. You can avoid this my reading over every word of your resume out loud before you submit. When you read out loud, your brain cannot skip over things and you will catch the mistake. We also recommend having one of our recruiters or a trusted friend read over your resume before you submit it.

Not listing all of your experience. Just because your resume template only has three sections of prior experience does not mean you should only list three sections of prior experience. It is definitely okay to break the mold of the resume template if you have extra sections to add. Also, don’t forget to add things like relevant skills or experience if that information would be applicable to the job. You can avoid this by brainstorming all of your experience and skills into an unformatted “master resume.” When you apply to a new job, make sure to highlight the most relevant things from your “master resume,” and do not include the things that are not relevant. You never want to lie or exaggerate on your resume, but it is definitely a great idea to tailor your resume to the job.

Not fixing your spacing. You should do everything you can to try and keep your resume down to one page, especially if you do not have a lot of experience. If you absolutely have to go on to two or three pages then that is okay, but do everything you can with spacing and margins to reduce the amount of pages in your resume before you submit. Your first priority should be that your resume is easily readable, but you also want to keep it as short as possible while still including details about your skillset and experiences.

Is your resume based on a template? Comment back with the mistakes that you caught or lessons that you learned!

 

Written by Kaitlyn Gahagen 

5 Resume Tips You Can Implement In 5 Minutes

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Want to spruce up your resume but short on time? Here are a couple of quick fixes that you can implement right now for a resume that already has great content.

Use effective titles. A good resume title will help potential employers to understand your skills, experience, and interests. Titles should be clear and concise. Use an appropriate title and save your accomplishments for the body of your resume.

Proofread. I cannot stress the importance of this one enough. If there is even one misspelling or grammatical error in your resume, and your potential employer catches it, your resume will be tossed immediately.

List the most important information first. This will help with your first impression. Your employer will start to make decisions about bringing you in for an interview after the first few sentences of your resume. The earlier something is in your resume, the less likely a potential employer is to skip over it.

Use a basic font. I know you want to stand out and be creative, but you want to do that with your skills and accomplishments, not your font. Also, in general, for anything in life, do not use comic sands. It’s basically the Nickelback of the font world.

Use bold and italics where appropriate. Your resume will be easier to read, less confusing, and the most important things will stand out. But remember, I said where appropriate. Have a friend double check your bold and italic use to make sure that you did get too aggressive if you are not sure.

Does your resume need some more TLC? Our recruiters at ComputerPeople are resume experts. Contact us at computerpeople@cpstaffing.com for resume help and IT recruiting services.

Written by Kaitlyn Gahagen

How To Be A Cover Letter Rockstar

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Cover letters can be scary to both experienced and inexperienced job seekers. What should you include in your cover letter? Should you even include a cover letter if it isn’t required? How do you know if your cover letter is acceptable? The reality is that you should not fear the cover letter. Here are a few tips to help you write your next cover letter like a pro.

Write one. ALWAYS write a cover letter. Yes, ALWAYS. The only exception to this rule is if the application specifically says not to write one, which is rare. Since most other people do not go the extra mile to write a cover letter, choosing to do so will set you apart and show the hiring manager that you are actually interested and prepared.

Keep it the right length. Your cover letter should be short. It should never go over one page. You can play with your font and margin if you need a couple extra lines, but try not to let that be too obvious. Also, never use comic sands. For anything. EVER.

Address it correctly. “To Whom It May Concern” is not going to help you stand out. You should address your cover letter to the manager of the department where you are applying to work. If you do not know the name of that person, just address your letter to the Hiring Manager.

Include the right things. First of all, you should grab the reader’s attention. There are several ways you can do this such as creatively introducing yourself, asking the hiring manager a question about his/her needs to fill the position you are applying for, or explain your interest in the position. Next, you should capture the reader’s interest by explaining why you are qualified for the position based on your experience, education, ideas, etc. Explain what sets you apart from the multiple other people that have applied for the position. In the following paragraph, share a few notable accomplishments with the hiring manager. The idea is to write something that will cause the hiring manager to want to meet you. If you are applying for a job in another area, it is important to tell the hiring manager why you are applying for a job in that area. For example, if you live in Tampa and you are applying for a job in Buffalo, you should tell the hiring manager why you want to live in Buffalo. If you do not do this, some managers will immediately discount your job application. Finally, directly ask the hiring manager for an interview.

Feel it out. Not all companies are created equal, so you are going to have to use your judgement if you want to strike the right cord. You never want to try to be something you are not, especially in an interview situation, but if you know a company is super relaxed, you might want to play around with your wording so that you give off the right impression. However, never try to be funny or not serious in a cover letter. You want to be yourself, but your cover letter will likely be a first impression, so make it a good one!

NOTE: Always follow the instructions of the employer when applying for a job!

Good luck!

 

Written by Kaitlyn Gahagen

“If Your Resume is More Than a Page Long, They Won’t Even Look at It”

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A few weeks ago, maybe even a few months ago, I responded to a Facebook post of a friend who was asking for advice on the appropriate length of a resume. She was particularly interested in knowing if having a resume longer than one page would actually hurt her chances of getting a job. As I was skimming through the answers that she was being given, it amazed me how many people have such a misconception about resumes. I was seeing things such as “It should always be one page,” and “Nope! If it’s more than one page they won’t even look at it.” That last one actually made my eye twitch, because there was a time where I, too, fell for that lie. Part of what I do involves looking over and adjusting resumes for a lot of candidates, making them appropriate and relevant for our clients to see. So I can be the first one to tell you that a one page resume is not the be-all and end-all of resumes. Since I am still learning myself, I decided to do a quick survey around the office with some of our top recruiters in order to find out what is really essential within a resume. Here are some key things you should consider when putting together your resume.

  1. How many pages?
    The truth is: it depends. Although it truly bugged me when I heard someone say that if your resume is more than one page “no one will look at it,” there are situations in which your resume should in fact be no longer than one page. But in most cases, it can be. After my survey, we can safely come to the conclusion that the magic number, if you will, is two pages, but never more than three. But don’t take it from me; take a look at some of our recruiters’ responses:

    “It really depends on the years of experience the candidate has worked in a related field and their area of expertise.  In Finance & Accounting, a resume really should not be more than 2 pages.” – Debbie Kriess, Managing Partner at FinancialPeople Staffing – Pittsburgh.

     “Length depends on experience level.  Someone with five or less years of experience could probably get it on one page.  In IT, it’s not uncommon for someone to have a three page resume but I really don’t recommend any longer than that. For someone with 10-20 years of experience, I would expect a two page resume.” – Brooke DeLucia, Technical Recruiter / Manager at ComputerPeople Staffing.

    “A new college grad/entry level candidate: one page.  Someone with 10+ years of relevant experience: 2-3 pages. Beyond three you risk losing the attention of the reader.” – Kara Bermingham, Managing Partner at MedicalPeople Staffing.

     “A recent college graduate should most likely have a one page resume, where as an experienced professional (10+ yrs.) could very well have a three page resume. I do believe, however that three should be the limit.” – Faith Drew, Research Analyst at FinancialPeople Staffing.

    “A one page resume is perfect for early to mid-career employees but a two page resume is fine for people who are further along in their career. Except for rare exceptions, a three page or longer resume usually is not a good idea.” – Beth Courtney, Sr. Technical Sourcing Specialist at ComputerPeople Staffing.

  2. How should it be written?

    Too often I’ve come across a lot of resumes that look either too cluttered, have too much space, are not formatted properly or are just plain difficult to read. This would also include having too much jargon or words that seem out of place; i.e. words to make you sound “smarter.” Founder and CEO of Human Workplace, Liz Ryan, talks about this aspect and explains how your resume should have a “human voice,” and should not be laid out as if it’s some form of legal document. What you want to do is make sure that your resume is easy to read by organizing it appropriately, having a proper format, have a “human voice,” and being precise. Here are some tips from our recruiters:

     “Most people scan resumes – you want it to flow and have bolded or underlined words that highlight the important parts such as job title and company.” – Faith Drew.

     “Drop the objective! Use a summary style paragraph that pinpoints the role you are looking for along with your areas of expertise and what you can bring to the table. It’s like a quick “sell” that is meant to draw the reader in and make them want to learn more about you.” – Brooke DeLucia.

    “If a resume has long paragraphs without a break, it’s very unappealing to read and I often skip over that section. I like to see bullets (but not too many) and enough white space between sections that it’s easy to read. I’d much rather read a well-spaced 2 page resume than a one pager that’s all crammed together. Also VERY important to check for typos and remember that spell-check doesn’t catch everything. Have someone else proofread your resume for typos, misspellings, etc. ” – Beth Courtney.

  3. What should I put in it?
    So now you have an idea of how long your resume should be and how it should be written, but you’re not sure what exactly you should actually put in it. A lot of people, myself included, have believed the notion that you should put all of your experience on your resume, explaining what your responsibilities were during each position. However, while this is important, I will say that something we often forget is to include results in our resumes. A results-oriented resume will be a lot more appealing to a recruiter than a resume that simply states “I was in charge of accounts receivables.” Showing results, such as “I increased sales profit by 10% using procedure ABC,” shows the recruiters not only what you’re capable of but also what makes you valuable. Here are some additional tips from our recruiters on content:

    “(These are specific to a Technical resume), Skills section containing keywords/skills – Allows me to quickly skim the resume to see if the candidate has the basic skill set for a specific position. Highlight Accomplishments – To me this is important because it shows how the candidate differentiated themselves from their peers.” – Kevin Pyle, Technical Recruiter at ComputerPeople Staffing.

    “chronological work history, is usually the best way to go unless you are trying to change careers.  If so, a transitional resume which highlights skills may be the preferred way to go, just be sure to include work history at the bottom.” – Beth

    “For Technical resumes, it’s important to list the relevant technology ‘buzzwords’ in context with each job.  It’s good to have a Technical Skills section as a general overview but you still need to show where you used a particular skill and what you did with it.  Try framing your bullets as ‘Project, Action, Result,’ (saved or made the company money, saved time, improved a process or service)”. – Brooke DeLucia

    “Don’t forget accomplishments!  Does your resume sound like a generic HR job description? Your resume should set you apart from your competition and be very personal to you and the unique attributes and accomplishments you bring to the table.” – Brooke DeLucia

    “A resume should include key technical skills, and should be a mix of accomplishments and tactical day to day responsibilities” – Debbie Kriess

    “Dates – resumes that do not have dates of employment are a huge red flag. I want to see when you worked at certain companies, take note of any gaps in employment, and know if you are currently employed or unemployed” – Faith Drew

Now that you’ve gotten some tips, you can go ahead and make sure that your resume is in top shape. Make sure that you have someone else proof-read your resume, to ensure that all typos and inconsistencies are taken care of, and don’t forget to include important elements such as achievements and skills! Happy writing! 🙂

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By Nayadee Wilson