November 2008

KISS Your Resume

What?

Yes, K-I-S-S, Keep It Simply Simple There is a lot of good information out there available to assist you in how to put together a resume. As a Healthcare Professional and Recruiter for the last 10 years I have received and reviewed thousands of resumes sometimes several hundreds in one month. This advice comes from a lot of experience in reviewing resumes.

There are a few keep points that are worth sharing with you.

Keep it Simple. Less is best.

Here are four ways to achieve quality over quantity.

1. The initial review by the Recruiter or Hiring Manager usually lasts 5-10 seconds. In no more that ten seconds the Hiring Manager or Recruiter should be able to see the contact information (always out it at the top), experience, and education. You do not need an objective or summary.
2. Do not embellish, exaggerate, or fib. The truth will be revealed.
3. Use bullet points. Eyes are easily distracted in a sea of words.
4. Keep it at one page. Do not explain every bullet. Tell them something they do not know. Use words that are packed with a powerful punch; action words like create, implement, decreased, increased, championed, designed etc. Use numbers, percentages, and dollars they really stand out.

Remember a resume gets you the initial contact and potential interview but does not get you the job. It should be simple but impressionable so that the hiring manger or recruiter immediately thinks, "I need to speak to this person".