When you have questions regarding your resume, the best thing you can do is to ask for advice. Well, with so much information out there on the internet, there’s bound to be some conflicting opinions, which makes it hard for you, the job seeker to know what to do.
We broke down the final answers to some of the most common, age-old, resume debates. Follow this advice, and you won’t be feeling any resume remorse after you send it to the job recruiter.
It’s Settled: 3 Age Old Resume Debates are Answered
1. One or More Pages?
Many experts say to keep your resume to one page. Since a job recruiter spends such little time glancing over the document, this advice makes sense. However, a seasoned professional might have a very hard time keeping their resume to one page without making the font teeny tiny. So what’s the answer in this debate?
The quality of your professional story is more important than how long it is. There is no official word count on a resume. With this freedom, do not abuse it and submit a wordy novella for your resume. Be concise, use active language, quantifiable date (when applicable), and edit yourself. Tell the most important highlights for each job, and remember, the interview will you give you more time to go into details.
2. Dressed Up Formatting?
In the last several years, many job seekers are dressing up their resumes with funky layouts and interesting fonts. Some even use graphic design. There is no denying that is a nice change from the plain resume with traditional layouts and fonts. But is it necessary? Is it effective?
Depending on the job you are applying to, you can allow yourself a bit of creative license. However, keep in mind that any dressing up of your resume should only help you tell your professional story, not distract from it. Plus, keep in mind your audience. Applying to a traditional company with no-fuss management may mean that you should also keep a simple-looking resume design as well.
3. Creative Job Title?
In recent years, some industry folks have suggested using creative job titles in the work experience section of your resume. For example, instead of “Customer Service Representative,” using “Product Happiness Expert.” Sure, this might be more intriguing, but is it true?
This debate can get a little tricky, because you should not go about creating your own job title. First of all, it can look dishonest, when maybe you really were just trying to be innocently creative. Instead of making that mistake, keep your official job title on your resume and consider including a small subtitle for your job that is eye-catching.
Get Expert Help on Your Resume & Land an Interview
Are you looking for more professional advice to make your resume stand out to a job recruiter? Let us, at Integrity Staffing Services help you land your next big interview. Search these jobs and apply today!
