As you undoubtedly already know, a resume gets 5-6 seconds of attention while the reader decides to pursue the candidate. Or not. Your resume needs to make the most of that brief time so make your document easy to read and easy to scan for important information.
When you have enough experience that the only way to cover the relevant details is to reduce the font or squeeze, squeeze, squeeze, its time to add a second page. This may take 10 years of relevant work.
Make the Most of Your Resume
To make the most of your resume real estate, check the list of your accomplishments to be certain that you’ve eliminated all but those that are needed for the position. Choose your format: chronological or functional. You may find that one allows you to include more data than the other.
Choose a basic font like Verdana or Times New Roman in 10-12 point. Bullets will make the document more readable and scanable.
For those with a short employment history, internship experiences can highlight skills as effectively as those gained through pay-check. Add projects or research done for college course work if it relates to the job you’re going for. For instance, if you were a business major and took the marketing role on team projects, show what you did and the outcome.
Sometimes you have more than enough data to fill one page but not much for the second page. Unless you have about 1/3 of the second page covered, try reworking your entries. You might be able to expand on one or two to fill more space on page 2.
Perhaps you have a longer work history or your experience is with the government or higher education. Instead of a resume you may be expected to produce a Curriculum Vitae, or CV. You will include your publications and presentations, and projects along with work experience.
Length is less important than clarity and the ability of the reader to identify the details that match up with the requirements of the role on offer.
When you’re ready for a resume or CV, let me help you put your best foot forward. Once you learn how to create the document, you’ll be able to update and make new resumes as needed. stephanie@accessguidance.com or 610-212-6679.
Access College and Career Consultants helps new graduates and people of all ages find a career that matches your skills and talent. Call/text 610-212-6679 or email to discuss how we can help you find the job you’ll love and that you’ll love to keep!
