Writing your first resume after a 20-year career
Dear Sam:
I find myself needing to write my first resume at age 43. Fortunately, I have always been recruited to positions by friends or networking contacts, but now as a mid-career professional, I am at a loss as to where to begin. Can you tell me a few of the mistakes candidates make in today’s market when crafting a resume?
Dear Connor:
How fortunate a position to be in even if it does present you with the challenge of crafting your first resume after a 20-year career. Here are some of the mistakes I see in resumes today.
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One of the major downfalls I notice in reviewing resumes is they lack visual appeal and are typically created using common templates. While content is of paramount importance, the aesthetics of that document can compel or repel interest. I am a big believer that your format can be just as important as your content, not only to generate interest, but also to take readership beyond the average 4 to 7 seconds.
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While most may feel that this section is self-explanatory, you can potentially disqualify yourself based on information at the top of your resume. Emerging best practices include not listing addresses on your resume, only listing your cellular phone number and including an email address from a more current provider. Some believe certain email addresses age a candidate —AOL, Hotmail, Yahoo — but I’ll leave that decision up to you. Be sure your email address does not contain personally identifying numbers, as this will catch the reader’s attention and potentially waste part of the screening process.
Lack
Resumes must open with Qualifications Summaries, not Objective Statements, which tend to present vague statements that serve little-to-no purpose.
Defining your job-search target, and building a Qualifications Summary around your skills and abilities, is critically important to the success of your search.
Engage the reader by performing due diligence to understand the keywords for the position, and infuse those keywords throughout your resume.
Many struggle with this section, as it is the executive summary of your candidacy. Write the summary last so you have a clear picture of what you have to offer your target audience.
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Next to the Qualifications Summary, a strong Professional Experience section with achievements highlighted is critical in driving a successful job search.
A lot of candidates struggle in determining how many years of experience to present. As a general rule, include about eight to 15 years of experience, depending on how much of that experience enhances your candidacy.
Quantify experiences to add personality — numbers jump off a page. And focus more on accomplishments than daily responsibilities. When presenting accomplishments, highlight them as such, do not intermingle them with daily responsibilities or the hiring manager will not be able to ascertain your value.
Lastly, present the big and save the small, meaning do not tell your life story, but present a succinct image of what you have done that positions you for your career interests. Leave the smaller points for an interview as value-added information to support your candidacy.
Samantha Nolan is a certified professional resume writer and owner of Ladybug Design, a fullservice resume-writing firm. She can be reached at dearsam@ladybug-design.com or 614-570-3442. Find out more at ladybug-design.com.