One of the best parts of having a podcast and a blog are the questions that I get from the Career Revolution community of readers and listeners. Because the world of work is constantly changing and evolving, there are always new questions and concerns. During this week’s podcast I responded to a few of the many questions I have received, so I decided to choose a few more questions for the blog to make this a week chock full of Q & A with Dr. Bray!
Question #1 - Dr. Bray, I have been applying for positions outside of the organization where I work. I know how important resumes are to getting an interview. Can you give me some advice on how to have an eye-catching resume? I have heard of video resumes---should I consider a video resume?
Answer: What a great question! I have been answering this question since I first went back to graduate school in 1999, but the answer has evolved with the way we search and apply for jobs. Let me share a few KEY points and thoughts on how to create a strong resume. If you want more information, be sure and watch my podcasts for an upcoming RESUME episode.
1. A strong resume should never be over 1 page. It doesn't matter if you have 25 years of experience your resume should not be over a page. No one turns to page 2 when they look at your resume for the first time. If you need to change the margins to fit all your information on one page, DO IT! But don't go over 1 page. Save the full resume for your actual interview.
2. Don't pay an individual to create your resume. Save your money, hop on the internet and find a good sample of a resume. I have one on my website that you can reference. All you will be spending your money on is for someone to type your resume for you. If you are struggling with the wording for your resume, search out “Example Resumes for …" and you will find lots of examples you can pull wording from.
3. Unless you are applying for a creative marketing position, creative job role, or the organization screams “show us how creative and different you are,” leave the video resumes, colored resume paper, and cutesy marking gimmicks behind. They have the potential to hurt you more than help you.
4. Be sure and include this information:
Contact Information
Job History
Responsibilities
Accomplishments
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