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Resumes
Resumes
You’ll need to have a well-designed resume if you are job hunting in a traditional industry or applying to work at a conventional workplace. Even progressive companies often ask for a resume in addition to their standard online application—a resume helps them see how you present yourself when you have a blank slate. Most resumes get no more than 10 seconds of attention from someone deciding whom to interview (Lepore, 2020; Malinsky, 2024). Going through a stack of clone resumes can be mind-numbing. Make sure to set yours apart in four ways: Design, Structure, Content, and Grammar.
Design
Design
Resume design is important, especially in certain industries. An appropriate resume in advertising, for example, might look out of place in accounting. Recruiters in every industry, however, value clean, uncluttered resumes.
Spend some time looking at sample resumes online. Do a search for “[your field] resume [current year].” Notice how formatting, font, color, graphics, and spacing can have a huge impact on resume readability and credibility. Be sure you design your resume to make it easy for the reader to access key pieces of information, such as keywords, job titles, and dates. Find a few that look good to you and emulate their design principles as you work on your own.
A great-looking resume design can keep you in the running for a great job. Remember that your resume may first be viewed on the recruiter’s handheld device. Check to see how your resume looks in a small format. Keep your paragraphs and sections short. Choose readable fonts. Use clear headings. Save as a PDF so your formatting is stable on any platform.
While a whimsical design with a picture, color blocks, and columns may appeal to you, this may be considered a roadblock in the current technological application environment. Applicant tracking systems (ATS) are used by businesses far and wide to help reduce time, energy, and costs in the recruitment process. This means that AI will be reviewing your resume before a person does. A simple design will work best to navigate the ATS. Below is a video from Indeed that explains all about the ATS.
Video 5.4: This video from Indeed discusses an overview of Applicant Tracking Systems (Taylor, 2023)
Activity - Part 1: Find a Template
Activity - Part 1: Find a Template
Find a template that works for you, considering the specifications of Applicant Tracking Systems. Remember to remove sections or prompt areas that you do not have information for. If you see something like [company name], insert the company name that you have worked for, and remove this prompt.
Additional Resources:
Additional Resources:
Structure
Structure
Because recruiters scan resumes instead of reading them, getting the structure right is critical. Many templates can help you provide structure, but let's look at some common components that you'll want to include. A logical flow and strong headings are key.
Header: Your name should be the first and last thing a reader notices, so make it stand out with size and possibly color. Here, you'll also want to include contact information: phone number, professional email address, city/state, and, if you have it, a customized URL to your LinkedIn Profile. It is no longer necessary or customary to include a full physical address.
Education & Training: After your header, you can go straight to your education. Later in your career, you might list your experience first, but your education may be your most impressive asset if you're recently graduating from college. You can also list any special training and certifications here as well.
Experience: Here, you will list your work or volunteer experience. This will be discussed further in the Content section (below).
Skills: Sharing your essential skills is key to being noticed by applicant tracking systems. Don't forget to include interpersonal essential skills (sometimes called "soft skills"), technical skills, and language skills.
Additional Tips:
Skip the “Objective” statement. Your objective is already clear: you want the job you’re applying for. Also, an objective statement is you-focused rather than audience-focused.
You may also want to include Awards & Recognition section as well as employment eligibility details.
Including a 'References' section or a 'References available upon request' note is no longer necessary. However, you may want to have reference information available to include on an application.
Image 5.4: Example Structure and Formatting for Resume (Herman, 2024)
Content
Content
If you don’t have much pertinent work experience, highlight your education section by listing accomplishments like:
Strong GPA (if 3.5 or above)
Scholarships
Club Affiliations
Projects (with details)
The rest of your resume will be a listing of your work experience in reverse chronological order. Reverse chronological order begins with your current experience and works backward in time. Many hiring managers want to know what you’re doing now, so make it easy to find by listing it at the top of any section (Malinsky, 2024). Of course, you’ll list any paid work that relates to your target job or demonstrates your key skills, but include unpaid work if your responsibilities or accomplishments were substantial. Experiences like organizing a large event, running a donation drive, or being part of club leadership can all be valuable in demonstrating what you bring to a job.
Create bullet points for each position, project, or activity that include action verbs, results, and metrics (if possible.) Bullets should focus on your contributions and achievements, including what you did, why you did it, and what the results were. Perhaps most important, because business loves numbers, be sure to quantify any accomplishment you can. Numbers convey credibility and experience on resumes. (Note: While this is important, do not make up content.)
Example #1: I scooped ice cream.
Example #1 (quantified): Served 200+ customers daily, suggested method that reduced wait time by 50%.
Example #2: Developed a social media campaign.
Example #2 (quantified): Increased sales 25% from June to July by developing a targeted social media campaign and creating daily posts and reels.
When it comes to skills, consider what skills are required, valuable, and unique in your industry of choice. This may require some research and review of resumes/job descriptions within your industry. Always remember to be honest about your skillset.
Don’t be afraid to add a quirky accomplishment to your resume such as “Summit County sheep-shearing champion.” If your resume is memorable, you’ll have a better chance of landing an interview.
Remember that the substance of your resume will often drive your interview. Hiring managers may see your resume for the first time when they sit down to interview you. As they work their way down the page, asking you questions, be prepared with something extra to say about each item. Prepare STAR/PAR+L stories from your resume that demonstrate your skills, interest in the industry, and cultural fit. These stories will be discussed in the next section.
Activity – Part 2: Polish Up Your Content
Activity – Part 2: Polish Up Your Content
Write at least two quantified accomplishments for your last or current job. Use the resources provided on action verbs and in-demand skills to level up your bullet points.
Step 1: Consider the skills you want to showcase
Step 2: Write a statement beginning with an action-verb
Step 3: Add details and quantifiable metrics (if applicable)
Additional Resources:
Additional Resources:
Grammar
This is where a tiny mistake could cost you a future job. One careless error in grammar, spelling, or punctuation gives employers an easy “no,” and your resume may quickly be tossed into the recycling bin. Use editing tools like Grammarly and have multiple individuals review your resume to ensure that it is error-free before sending it to a potential employer or submitting an application.
Attribution:
Content for this section was adapted (with additions) from
Management Communication Copyright © 2017 by Lisa Thomas, Julie Haupt, and Andy Spackman is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution -ShareAlike and made possible by Management Communications Group, Marriott School Of Business, Brigham Young University.
References:
Case, A. (2024, February 5). Technical skills for a resume - 100+ examples & how to list. Resume Genius. https://resumegenius.com/blog/resume-help/technical-skills
Gillis, J. (2022, June 4). 100 Good skills to put on a resume [Complete guide]. The Interview Guys - Job Interview Prep, Interview Questions & Career Advice. https://theinterviewguys.com/skills-to-put-on-a-resume/
Herrity, J. (2023, August 25). 195 action verbs to make your resume stand out. Indeed. https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/resumes-cover-letters/action-verbs-to-make-your-resume-stand-out
Lepore, M. (2020, January 30). You have 7.4 seconds to make an impression: How recruiters see your resume. Ladders. https://www.theladders.com/career-advice/you-only-get-6-seconds-of-fame-make-it-count
Malinsky, G. (2024, January 25). Hiring managers spend ‘3-to-5 seconds’ on your resume, says recruiter who’s read hundreds—here’s what they look for. CNBC. https://www.cnbc.com/2024/01/25/heres-what-recruiters-look-at-on-your-resume.html
Taylor, S. (2023, August 21). How to write an ATS resume (with template and tips). Indeed. https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/resumes-cover-letters/ats-resume-template
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