Analyzing what’s right and wrong with your résumé
Dear Sam: After reading your columns, I have tried to delete some unnecessary items from my résumé that dated me. However, some of the jobs that I deleted really showcased select skills. I’ve worked as a credit-union teller and as a human-resource assistant, and I’ve also worked for police departments for several years. I don’t know how to mesh the clerical and technical sides of my experience into one cohesive résumé. — Sydney
Dear Sydney: I was shocked when I saw that your résumé was less than one page — and that at least a third of that space was used to list your education, volunteerism and references. Here’s a picture for the readers: Your résumé is in a two-column format, with the smaller left-hand column containing your name and contact information.
On the right is your employment history section, which includes four jobs spanning from 1998 to present. Within each employment section are one-line bullet points presenting responsibilities. The résumé then proceeds to your education, with two bullet points noting your high school diploma and time at college. Next is a section that presents your volunteer work for a local animal shelter. Last are your references. The résumé ends with this section — and about 3 inches of white space. The résumé has a total of 351 words, 189 of which are used to describe the 12 years of experience presented.
Here are some of the most important aspects you should address.
You have not defined your purpose.
Select a targeted direction. If law enforcement and administrative support are the objectives, then likely you will need two very different résumés.
Even though you performed administrative functions during your time with the police departments, you’ll need to demonstrate in-depth knowledge of law-enforcement processes, your compliance work, your ability to cultivate relationships with officers and investigators, and the skills very specific to becoming a strong administrative/technical support person in that environment.
If you’re seeking a job in a business environment, however, you will need a second résumé that focuses on your clerical and administrative skills.
You don’t position your candidacy.
By trying to appeal to two very different audiences, you have diluted the strength of your résumé.
Your résumé does not open with a qualifications summary. The reader must take time to determine what your skills are; within just a few seconds, the reader will likely move on because you don’t immediately show your qualifications. You need to develop this summary, presenting your notable employers, the highlights of your experience and the skills you’ve mastered. To include earlier experiences that might “date” you, try including highlights in your professional experience section, without going into detail about the positions.
The résumé lacks “punch.” Since your résumé focuses only on responsibilities, it is unlikely to engage the reader. Each bullet point presented describes a core function of your jobs — functions you would find on a standard job description. When competing against other administrative assistants, it is likely they, too, have performed similar functions. You need to show how you contributed over and above your job description.
Your résumé highlights potential disqualifiers.
The education section of your résumé includes only your high school diploma and the university you attended, with the words “no degree obtained” afterward. If you completed two or more years of college, you could say, “Completed two years toward a bachelor’s degree.” If not, omit this section entirely.
The format is lackluster.
With the entry-level format, boring font and lackluster aesthetic, nothing about your résumé compels people to read it. Avoid using overused résumé templates, and work to create an engaging visual aesthetic that draws the reader in. Hiring managers may receive hundreds of résumés; you need yours to stand out from the rest.
You should present references only upon request.
By including references on your onepage résumé, you make it look like you don’t have enough experience, skills and qualifications to fill the résumé. References should be presented when requested.