Resume

Resume Myth Busters

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True or False…

Resumes with facts and and myths signs in the forefront.
The purpose of a resume is to get a job.
  • FALSE: The purpose of your resume is to get an interview. And hiring managers use the resume to determine who not to interview as well. The information you choose to include—or exclude—from your resume can make the difference on whether you will get an interview.
I need to include my entire work history on my resume.
  • FALSE: These days the standard for resumes is to focus on your last 10 or so years of experience. Most employers want to know what you have done recently—not what you did in the early 2000’s, 1990’s, or even earlier.
My resume should be 1 page.
  • FALSE: This is a pretty common misconception. For private sector resumes, 2 pages is entirely appropriate (assuming you have something to say). For the federal government, 4-6 pages is standard. The key thing is that the information is provided in an organized format and offers the level of detail necessary to help the reader determine whether the applicant is a good fit for the role.
Readers of my resume will understand what I do.
  • FALSE: Oftentimes the first reader of your resume is from Human Resources. They are unlikely to be subject matter experts in your technical area. This means that your resume should not be overly technical, and all acronyms must be spelled out. If the first level reviewer does not understand what you have written, your resume is unlikely to be passed on to a hiring manager.
It is important to show my education at the top of my resume.
  • FALSE: Unless you are within 3 or so years of graduation and seeking an entry level role or are preparing an academic curriculum vitae (CV), your education belongs at the end of your resume. In most instances, you are “selling” your experience, not your education. And in both the federal and private sector arenas, there is a renewed emphasis on competencies, rather than education.
I need to include my objective and references on my resume.
  • FALSE: Using an objective and mentioning references is old fashioned. Instead create a skills summary to show the value you can bring and leave off any mention of references.
Reviewers spend time reading my entire resume.
  • FALSE: Private sector studies have shown that most reviewers spent between 5 and 15 seconds looking at a resume. Federal reviewers spend more time, but the point is the same—you need to ensure that your resume immediately demonstrates your value, and all content is relevant to the job you are targeting.

There are other myths circulating about resumes too but at the end of the day, your resume is a marketing document, one that strategically presents your work experience and education as a way to showcase how you can make a contribution to your next employer.

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Does Your Resume Say, “Responsible for…”?

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There are words you should use in your resume—and words you definitely should not. If your resume uses the words “responsible for,” you have work to do! Just because you’re responsible for something doesn’t mean you did it—it only means that you are supposed to do it! Other phrases that you should banish from your resume include: duties include, hardworking, objective, references available upon request, detail-oriented (unless included on the job posting you’re targeting), team player, phone (and email)—although you should certainly include your contact information, there’s no reason to label it. There are more but you get the idea.

Instead of using passive language—or words that are so generic as to be meaningless, your resume should use action verbs.

Here are some strong words to show your value:

  • Delivered
  • Identified
  • Resolved
  • Led
  • Directed
  • Oversaw
  • Conducted
  • Focused
  • Reconciled
  • Organized
  • Presented
  • Coordinated
  • Delegated
  • Orchestrated
  • Built
  • Planned
  • Spearheaded
  • Created
  • Designed
  • Formed
  • Decreased
  • Furthered
  • Saved
  • Clarified
  • Modernized
  • Streamlined
  • Upgraded
  • Aligned

There are many additional words to choose from; make sure the language you use on your resume is strong and represents what you bring to the table!

If you’re needing assistance with your resume feel free to reach out about our Resume Writing Services!

It’s That Time Again…September is Update Your Resume Month!

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You know you should keep your resume updated but do you actually do it? If not, September is the perfect time to do so. Designated “Update Your Resume Month,” you can get in the spirit by updating yours!

So, what should you do?

Here are 10 easy things for you to do:

  1. Review your existing resume; ensure that your current job is on your resume
  2. Remove jobs that are more than 10 or so years old; or at least put them in a category called Earlier Professional Experience (or something similar)
  3. Update your achievements; what have you done in your current position that had an impact on your employer? Did you save money? Increase productivity? Create a new way to do something?
  4. Add any new educational achievements; did you get a new degree? A new license of some sort? Professional certifications? Something else?
  5. Note any significant awards or industry honors. It adds to your credibility when you are recognized outside your organization.
  6. Include updated numbers. Did your staff size increase? What about your budget? Size of your territory/responsibility? Numbers help give your work context.
  7. Delete the words “responsible for;” just because you are responsible for something, it doesn’t mean you actually do it. It means that you should do it. It tells the reader nothing.
  8. Eliminate personal pronouns from your resume. Resumes should be written in first person implied—no personal pronouns. Started your sentences with active verbs (and no “s” at the end of them either!)
  9. Assess your Qualifications Statement; does it still reflect what you’re targeting? Include keywords? Make a compelling case for your candidacy? If not, tweak it.
  10. Check for typos you may have missed the last time you reviewed your resume.

Doing the above should take less than an hour. If you spend the time to keep your resume updated, you’ll be ready to go when that dream job becomes available!

You can check out some other Update You Resume Month posts from previous years below:

References On Your Resume?

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A person's hand connecting icons of people that represent References.

Instead of listing references on your resume, or even noting “references available upon request,” all job seekers should have a professional reference page to provide when asked for references. Identifying and preparing a reference page is about more than listing your supervisor—or your best friend.

Choosing References

Make sure to choose at least 5 references. Typically, employers ask for three business references. Some ask for one or two personal references, excluding family members. Prepare more professional references and choose the best for each application.

Appropriate references are usually previous bosses, supervisors, and employers or leaders of volunteer organizations with which you are affiliated. If these choices are not available, consider customers, vendors, professors, and/or professional colleagues from networking, professional, or community organizations.

Select only articulate individuals who will give a positive, professional reference. If there are doubts, it is best for you not to consider that person as a reference. If you have worked in a variety of career fields, the best strategy is to obtain references that can speak with knowledge about your performance in areas relevant to your current job search.

Preparing References

Before you add a reference to your list or use the reference in an online application, obtain the reference’s permission by emailing, telephoning, or meeting with them.

To prepare professional references, you should provide copies of your resume and a summary of your current career goals. You can email the job description of the position for which you are applying or share three to four of the most important points mentioned in the job announcement. This helps the reference understand how to describe you in terms that are relevant and specific to the goal at hand. 

Remind the reference of relevant projects or tasks in which they were both involved. Offer to answer questions or have a conversation regarding the specific qualifications relevant to the desired position. This conversation can refresh the reference’s memory of your qualifications and help you to understand what pieces of information would be most helpful in a letter of reference or when discussing you with the hiring manager.

In addition to vetting talents and skills, good references can speak with knowledge about your work ethic and personal characteristics such as integrity, honesty, dependability, punctuality, and attitude.  

Following up with References

Maintain contact and a good business rapport with your selected references. Each time you apply for a new position, the references who will be asked to speak on your behalf should be contacted and emailed the job description for the position.

Saying thank you is VERY important to the relationship with your references and to ensure they do not become disinterested in continuing to provide references for you. Do not take references for granted.

Don’t be caught off-guard. Now is the perfect time to update your references so you’re ready for that next opportunity!

For more information about References check out these blog posts:

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Do I Really Need A New Resume?

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Man looking at computer working on his resume.

I haven’t met anyone yet who thinks writing resumes is fun…except for professional resume writers. If you are staring at your own resume and deciding what to do, here are some thoughts to help you determine if you really should start over.

How long ago was your resume created or updated?

  • If your resume was created within 12 to 18 months, and you’re seeking a similar role to your current position, the answer is easy: Update your existing document. If the resume was created 18 months to 3 years ago, and you’re seeking a similar role, the right answer is probably to update the existing resume.
  • The more difficult choice is if the resume was created between 3-5 years ago. In that case, review the resume format. If the structure is still modern in appearance, and adding the new information doesn’t substantially affect the format, a refresh is most likely the right choice.
  • If the resume was created more than 5 years ago, 99 times out of 100, the right answer is to start over.

Are you seeking a new role in the same profession/career field, or are you changing professions?

  • If you are pursuing a new role in a different field, whether to refresh or do over depends on if the industry you are targeting has different standards for resumes than your current industry. Moving from the federal to the private sector or vice versa would qualify as a do-over.
  • If you are changing careers entirely, you will want to start fresh. You can’t use the same resume for substantially different positions. If you’re a teacher and want to pursue a role in outside sales, your education-focused resume won’t work. If you’re a former trial lawyer who is seeking a role in nonprofit administration, you’ll want a new format that showcases your transferable skills.

Is there an “Objective” statement at the top of your resume?

  • If the answer is yes, you need an overhaul. Even removing the objective statement probably won’t be enough to meet the standards of a modern resume, since the content in the top 1/3 of the resume is so critical. (It needs to be replaced with branding statements and content that showcases your qualifications.)

Has your existing resume gotten too long?

  • Federal resumes typically run 4-6 pages (the longest I’ve ever seen was 67 pages and included footnotes!!); a private sector one should not typically exceed 2 pages. If your resume includes 25 years of work experience in excruciating detail, it may be time to start completely from scratch. The reason is: If you’ve just constantly added new positions without thinking through the strategy of what you’re including on your resume, it may be best to start over.

If you need assistance with your resume you can check out our Resume Writing Services or Contact Us for help! There are also many videos about resume writing on our YouTube channel like ‘Essential Tips for Writing Your Federal Resume‘.

Are You Part of the 92%?

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Hand with pen filling out a blank job application form.

Appcast, a leading provider of recruitment data, reports that 92% of people who click “apply” on a corporate website do not complete their job application. I haven’t been able to find the abandon rate for USAJOBS but I’m sure it’s high since I constantly hear how complicated USAJOBS can be. From an organization perspective, high abandonment of applications started but not completed means fewer candidates than anticipated. From an applicant’s perspective, it could be good news.

How can you position yourself to be one of the 8%?

  • Don’t wait for the last minute. If you know you have an interest in a particular organization or company, see if you can sign up for an account ahead of time. Create your user name and password, and if possible, fill out any generic information and upload any documents such as transcripts, etc., that might be needed.
  • Have your resume ready. Some organization’s Applicant Tracking Software (ATS) requires that you use their builder; others allow you to upload your resume. Either way, you should have your basic resume ready in advance. That resume should be in Word (not a PDF or drive) so that you can copy and paste relevant parts of your resume into their builder if required, or do a simple upload. Of course, you should tweak your resume for the specific posting but your baseline resume should be ready to go.
  • Give yourself time. Although applying for corporate jobs through an in-house ATS takes an average of 5 minutes, according to InFlight, a user experience provider; applying through USAJOBS can take an hour—and if there is additional testing required, even longer. Many more organizations are using 2-factor identification to log into their systems so be prepared with all necessary information before you sign in.
  • Get the phone number of the help desk. Sometimes these application systems are not as intuitive as their creators had hoped. If you can identify the specific ATS being used (sometimes the name is available on the login page; common ATS include Oracle Taleo, IBM Kenexa, Jobvite, SmartRecruiters, iCIMS—this is not an inclusive list), go onto their website and see if you can find a phone number or other assistance. USAJOBS has its own Help Center: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/ with a lot of information for jobseekers.
  • Find an insider if you can. Use your network to see if you know someone who works where you are applying—or know someone who knows someone. Make contact; let them know you’re applying.
  • Remain patient and positive. The hiring process takes time; the higher your target job, the longer your search is likely to take. Don’t put all of your hopes on one job; keep searching and applying—and you’ll be able to take that next step in your career!