5 Signs Your Résumé Needs Updating
When I'm not writing a blog post, I'm working on my book. When I'm not doing that, I'm working with a client on their content strategy. Or writing copy for their website. Or proofreading and/or editing their book. Or revamping their résumé. Which is actually what this post is about. Résumés.
I review a lot of them. And one of the first things I notice whenever I'm reviewing and/or revamping one is all of the things it SHOULDN'T have. So if you're not getting any callbacks from recruiters, chances are your résumé is basic. And it's most likely because you either have some stuff on there that doesn't need to be, or you're missing some key info that should be on there. Or both. So with that being said, here are five reasons why your résumé needs updating:
It includes your full address.
Many people still have their full address listed on their résumé, but it's totally unnecessary. The primary reason is because nowadays we submit résumés digitally, as opposed to back in the olden days when snail mail was the wave. The only thing you need pertaining to your address on your résumé is your city, state and zip code. It's a good way of keeping your personal address private while still letting recruiters know where you're located.
It has an objective statement.
An objective statement is what many job-seekers include at the top of their résumés to summarize their intentions for seeking a job along with their career goals. This is another unnecessary thing I find on a lot of people's résumés. According to CareerSidekick, many modern employers view a résumé objective as outdated, mainly because the information isn't helpful to recruiters and hiring managers. If you do include an objective, they will likely skip it and look for information that’s more relevant to your work experience, skills and qualifications. As I mentioned in a previous post, recruiters and hiring managers take SIX SECONDS to scan your résumé before deciding whether you're qualified for the job, so you want to utilize the space on your résumé to highlight relevant skills and qualifications as much as possible. With that being said, replacing your objective statement with a core competencies or career highlights section is a good way to go.
It doesn't have a skills section.
Everyone needs a section on their résumé that highlights their relevant skills or core competencies, and it should be positioned at the top of your résumé (in place of your objective statement). This is a great way for recruiters and hiring managers to determine if you qualify for the position you're applying for. When listing your skills, you want to make sure you are including keywords from the job description of the position you're applying to. This will help your résumé stand out even more because it shows that you have the relevant skills that recruiters are looking for.
It's written in Times New Roman font.
If TNR is still your go-to résumé font, it's time to let that go and come join us in 2020, sis. When Bloomberg spoke with a group of typography experts about the worst type fonts to use on a résumé, TNR was labeled as respectable, but "unadventurous and mundane". One expert even compared using the font to putting on sweatpants for an interview. LMAO. As far as good fonts for your résumé goes, Business News Daily listed Calibri, Garamond, Georgia and Trebuchet MS as some of their top choices.
Your work experience is a culmination of copy-and-paste job descriptions.
Sometimes it's hard to put what you do into words. I get it. But copying and pasting your work experience directly from the job description(s) is pretty basic. While it's fine to use your job description as a framework for listing your responsibilities, you also should be including numbers/percentages/metrics (major eye candy for recruiters and hiring managers) that show how you made an impact in that particular role and company. In other words, don't just list what you do; showcase how you add value.
Do any of these five items apply to your résumé? If so, we've got some serious work to do, honey. If you feel like your résumé needs an upgrade, shop my signature Résumakeover Kits!