How Long Should My Resume Be?

Don't let a headhunter trick you into believing you need a 4-page resume. Here's a repost of an article addressing resume length.

I say it often, but it is always worth repeating: regardless of your level of experience, the goal of a resume is to establish qualifications, pique interest and create some curiosity gaps – those questions that make readers want to learn more via an interview. In almost every case, a page or two is enough to accomplish that goal. That leaves the question of when is one page appropriate and when should you expand your resume to two pages. The answer to that question might surprise you.

While these are just guidelines, the general premises can be applied to almost everyone.

In the beginning – When you are just starting out, a one-page resume is probably in order. You’ve got little relevant experience, possibly some education, and hopefully a lot of promise. At this point in the game, one page is almost always enough to outline your limited experience and communicate how you plan to make a positive impact.

Climbing the ranks – After you have some solid, relevant experience under your belt, a two-page resume starts to make good sense. You’ve likely got several years of experience and multiple relevant positions. You also likely have quite a few bona fide accomplishments. Two pages provide ample room to list your multiple roles and your wealth of accomplishments. This is the time in your career to lay it all out on the table.

At the top of your career – Many of the executives I work with are shocked to hear me suggest a one-page resume despite their extensive experience. At this level though, it is more likely that the foundational and formational experiences can be omitted. Also, it is less likely that you will need to “sell” your position and instead can let your title and scope of influence imply previous experience.

People and careers are dynamic, so these suggestions may not apply to you. However, consider the underlying themes here and help them guide your decision about how long your resume should be.

Top Places to Work

It's here!

One of my very favorite lists of the year is Outside Magazine's yearly take on the best places to work.

So this post is short and sweet.

Check out the list here.

And have a great week. I hope good things come your way!

A Job That Pays The Bills

“I need a job that pays the bills. I’m not interested in being a superstar and my experience is kind of average. I’m worried that a lack of passion will make it hard for me to get hired.”

That sentiment, which a client recently shared with me (and agreed to let me use that portion of her email), may ring very close to home for you. Even though I work with a lot of clients who want to make positive steps toward professional fulfillment, not all of my clients some with the same motivation.

Here is my advice for individuals who “just want a job that pays the bills” and have “kind of average” experience.

Manage your expectations: Don’t say you want to be a contributor and then try to land a high-level leadership role (or something similar). Not only will it be super challenging to secure that kind of position, you are setting yourself up for failure because your pursuing a role that requires a level of passion and commitment that you are admittedly not interested in providing.

Stop self-assessing: When it comes to your background, “kind of average” is a fairly arbitrary assessment. I am constantly amazed at how often clients tell me that they have no accomplishments, only to find out that they just haven’t recognized their accomplishments. Additionally, I have plenty of clients who believe they’ve outlined all of their greatest accomplishments only to uncover several more during the process of developing their resume.

Change your mindset: Just because you are in it for the money does not mean you can’t find little ways to pursue professional fulfillment. I’m not saying you need to climb the corporate ladder – just that finding enjoyment in some aspects of your position, no matter how minor, can have a major impact on your attitude and sense of well being. Do this for you, not the company.

I talk a lot about career fulfillment, but that doesn’t mean I am blind to the fact that many people just need a job that allows them to get by or enables them to focus on non-professional fulfillment.

Dates for Education

Q: Why are dates so important on a resume but mysteriously optional when it comes to the Education section.

A: Great question, and one that I (understandably) get a lot. 

First off... Yes, dates are critical on a resume. Years of employment should be listed with all jobs. When it makes sense, it's also a good idea to list months because screening software is often set to "red flag" employment dates that do not include months. That's another post for another day!

With the Education section, though, there is forgiveness. Why? Because putting a date next to your education can be a gateway to discrimination. Because of that, it's largely understood that dates aren't necessary for that section. 

Some Readers Will Like It

This showed up in my inbox the other day:

“I read your post on why you shouldn’t use narrative to tell your story on a resume. I understand what you are saying, but I don’t care. I want to defy convention and tell my story in a really creative and narrative way. I think some readers will like it.”

Given that I take a very clear stand against a narrative approach, my response to a portion the above email might surprise you. When it comes to the assertion that “some readers will like it,” I agree. Some readers will like it. However, lots of readers won’t like it.

Just about any convention you can come up with – no matter how quirky – is going to appeal to someone. But crafting a resume for one-off tastes is not a smart strategy.

The most effective resumes appeal to a broad range of readers across the hiring process by employing some powerful, proven resume writing best practices.

Don't Do This on a Resume

We've already established (all over this website!) that there is no gold standard for a resume – no "magic formula" for what works. I use my years of experience in Career Development and Human Resources to help people craft resumes that capitalize on the best practices out there. My extensive hands-on experience (and behind-the-scenes knowledge) has proven very effective in helping people to navigate a confusing arena.

Despite this ambiguity, there are a handful of black and white things that we know for sure about the world of job-search documents.

A few people will like the following but most won't, so don't...

1) ...use graphics or an overly-designed resume.

2) ...use color.

3) ...list hobbies/interests (unless they are asked for).

4) ...rely on responsibilities (i.e. copy your job description).

5) ...forgo sharp bullets in favor of bulky paragraphs.

6) ...veer away from implied first person.

7) ...insert many articles (a / an / the).

8) ...skip a cover letter (unless asked to).

9) ...include a picture, birthdate, marital status, etc. for positions in the US and Canada.

10) ...provide more than about 10 years of professional experience.

Again, some people undoubtedly will like some or all of these conventions but most will not.

You want/need your resume to appeal to a broad array of people, not only to people who think exactly as you do. Plus, you'll likely have to contend with automated screening systems (which are traditionally tripped up by design and graphics). 

Finding Career Satisfaction

We're getting into Autumn. Wow.

This is the time of year when I recommend that people, yearning for a new job or career, start making the transition to more meaningful work.

Do not wait until December or, worse yet, January. That might feel like a good time of the year for this kind of professional development work, but it rarely is. Save the end of the year for celebrating with loved ones and working on small changes that you want to make in 2015.

Do the heavy lifting – working on larger goals – now. It's an ideal time to take steps toward career satisfaction.

As I've said before...

We live in a time where, out of necessity it seems that many people have to take jobs that “pay the bills.” The number of people I meet in unfulfilling jobs is alarming. It’s a sign of the times and a sign of how quickly the reality of the world’s economy is changing.

Unfortunately, though, there’s a huge price to pay when that’s the case. For one, unless you’re feeling fulfilled and in sync, that little voice in your head will always be nagging you – reminding you that you aren’t feeling so hot about your career. There’s a solution, though, that helps to quiet that nagging voice. Pursue fulfillment.

You see, if you are at the very least pursuing your purpose, you are “on purpose” and the voice is dulled. Many people view the job dilemma as an either/or sort of thing. You’re happy or you’re not. That’s what keeps people from taking steps forward; tiny steps, even, that get them closer and closer to feeling in sync.

Fulfilling work that will resonate with you is within your reach. It starts by taking one step at a time. I’ve worked hard – and even faced a career refocusing – to become an expert and to differentiate myself within the field of Human Resources and Career Development. It wasn’t always easy, and I could have chosen to stay in upwardly mobile but ultimately unfulfilling jobs from my previous career track. My life is much richer all the way around because of the career shift I pursued.

The economy is improving. I urge you to get on top of your career and make work work for you. Settling is simply not worth it – no matter the state of the economy.

Start now. Who knows, by 2015 you could be celebrating beginning something new.

Civilian Perceptions of Military Experience

During a recent project with a separating Service Member, I received this note: “I’ve heard that some people view military experience as separate from 'real-world' experience. For example, I tell people I have 8 years of experience as a network administrator because I did it for 5 years in the military and 3 years in the private sector. The response I received was that the 5 years of military experiences doesn’t count because it is not real-world.”

First off, I felt the need to apologize to this client that potential employers might not value experience gained through military service as much as they should. Personally, I find that very frustrating. But I have a feeling it is not because these employers don’t honor our Service Members (I sincerely hope that is not the case). Instead, I think they simply don’t understand military experience. Here is why...

Many of the Veterans and separating Service Members I work with come to me with resumes that are so dense with military jargon that they may as well be written in a foreign language. As is the case with any specialized field – from IT to Transport Logistics – it is your job as the applicant to communicate your skills in a way that enables readers across all levels to easily grasp your experience and impact.

If you want your experience to be valued, you have to make it clear that it is valuable. If you’ve done that, and a potential employer still does not honor the experience, consider yourself quite lucky that you won’t be part of that organization. I promise there is a better fit out there.

Internet Savvy

Internet Savvy.

But probably not the kind of savvy you're thinking.

My post from a couple of week's ago prompted a bunch of e-mails about what whether or not current/potential employers care about employees/candidates presence on social media. I wrote a bit about this a year ago, but clearly it's worth addressing again.

Yes, employers care. Very much.

In the consulting work I do, I'm quite frankly surprised at the effort that employers put into monitoring employees and checking out candidates. Now, to be clear, most just want to be sure that candidates aren't totally insane during their free time and employees aren't hunting for other work.

Although I'm surprised at the effort, it can be revealing.

If someone posts pictures of him/her self drunk on social media, does a company have reason to question that person's judgement? Yes.

Of course not all companies do such a thing, but it's a good idea to behave as though they all do.

Employers That Offer Work-Life Balance

Whenever I share information on popular employers, I get a lot of positive feedback. 

It makes sense.

People want ideas on where to apply. "Best of" lists help to target a job search effectively.

Take a look at Glassdoor's Top 25 Companies for Work-Life Balance. The ability to have a life is a key requirement for a majority of the people that I talk to and work with. When I am speaking or on a panel, it's a question that comes up most of the time.

Here's to employers that honor the fact that a happier you outside of work leads to a happier, more productive you at work.