Resume Help Q&A

Should resumes be limited to 1 page?

Two page resumes are fine. A recent college graduate might be able to get by with a 1-page resume, but for most people, it takes 2 pages to describe all their background, education, and accomplishments properly.

What should a resignation letter say?

A resignation letter should contain three basic components:

• Effective date of resignation.

• The reason for the resignation.

• Positive statements about the company showing how you benefited from your time there.

A resignation letter may remain on file for many years and could come back to haunt you. So, regardless of the reasons for resignation, NEVER include negative statements about company, coworkers, supervisors, bosses, owners, or policies. This letter should be a professional correspondence, a bridge builder not a bridge burner.

What is the best way to send a resume to a prospective employer, fax, mail, or e-mail?

The first choice would be e-mail because it's the fastest. However, always follow-up by mail with a cover letter and a printed copy of your resume.

What are some tips for preparing"scanner-friendly" resumes?

• Use white or light-colored 8-1/2 x 11 paper, printed on one side only.

• Provide an original or high quality photocopy.

• Don't fold or staple.

• Use a standard sans-serif typeface such as Helvetica or Arial.

• Use a font size no smaller than 10-point.

• Don't condense spacing so that characters touch each other.

• Avoid graphics.

• Avoid multi-column formats.

• Use plenty of white space between groups of information.

What is the best way to use keywords in resumes to be effective with applicant tracking systems?

Try to work key words into the text of your resume that focus in on your specific career goal. For example, if you're a programmer, include all your programming languages, operating systems, etc. Concentrate on using nouns you believe a potential employer will use in their search. Be sure to include your professional memberships (IEEE for Electrical Engineers, ASME for Mechanical Engineers, etc.)

What are the different resume versions that may be necessary in a job search?

• Printed paper version for giving out by hand, mailing by postal service, and taking along to interviews (candidates should always take a couple copies of their resume to interviews).

• Word processor file for use in sending as attached to e-mail binary files or given out on diskette.

• HTML version posted as a page on the World Wide Web.

• ASCII text version for use in cutting and pasting into e-mail messages, resume databases on the Web, and Usenet Newsgroups on the Internet.

Each of these mediums addresses a specific avenue for getting resumes in the hands of prospective employers.

What factors can help capture readers' attention when they look at a resume?

• Professional appearance of the document.

• Logically organized, well-written materials, presented in a manner that allows quick reference to the information. Easy to read.

• Focused on the targeted position. Relevant information.

• Accurate information. (Be honest.)

• Lots of quantitative information and achievement statements.

What are the worst mistakes people make when preparing their own resumes?

• Not determining a target or goal for the resume.

• Focusing on just the "duties and responsibilities" of current and past employment rather than on accomplishments, achievements, and successes.

• Not organizing their information in a presentation that highlights and showcases their strong points.

• Leaving off quantitative information (e.g., "Increased sales by 50%" or "Reduced costs by $50,000 per year").

• Including irrelevant information.

What are electronic resumes and how are they used on the internet?

In addition to the word-processed file that can be sent by e-mail as an attached binary file, there are 2 resume files that are used for electronic exchange --an HTML coded file and an ASCII coded file:

HTML resumes:

These are resumes created using Hypertext Markup Language. It's uploaded to the Internet as a web page and looks much like the standard printed version of your resume with typical formatting features like bold print, italics, tabs, and underlining. HTML resumes can be used for:

• Submission to sites that accept HTML formatted resumes for posting.

• Your own web page.

ASCII resumes:

These are text-only versions of your resume. They bear no resemblance at all to paper resumes since the document is stripped of all boldface, italics, tabs, and underlining. ASCII formatted resumes can be used for:

• Posting to on-line resume databases where employers search for prospective employees.

• E-mailing to prospective employers if you don't know what word processing software they're using (ASCII text can be read by all word processors).

What information should be included in a cover letter?

A cover letter should be short, concise, and to the point. Think of it as an "appetizer" for your resume. A cover letter should accomplish 3 tasks. It should:

• State why you're sending your resume

• Mention a couple of key items in your background to "whet the appetite" for the resume

• Ask for an interview

After you've addressed these issues, end your letter and let the reader get on to the "main course" - your resume.

Do resumes need an "Objective" statement?

No, although if you have a specific position in mind and that's your only focus, it's a good idea to use one. But, if your objective is not so clearly defined, it's fine to leave the Objective off. You can handle your objective on a case-by-case basis in your cover letter.

Should both months and years be included for employment dates or is it okay to just use years?

Both methods are common. However, you're giving the prospective employer more detailed information if you include months along with years. Also, some people leave the months off to disguise periods of unemployment. Here's an example:

Let's say your work dates are as follows:

November 1992 to June 1994 (18 months of employment in job #1)
June 1994 to August 1995 (14 months of employment in job #2)

From this I see you have 2-1/2 years of continuous employment with no periods of unemployment.

On the other hand:

1992 to 1994 (could be anywhere from 1 year to 3 years of employment in job #1)
1994 to 1995 (could be anywhere from 1 day to 2 years of employment in job #2)

From this, I could assume you worked 1 year in job #1, then had 1 year of unemployment, and then 1 month of employment in job #2.

Again, it's acceptable to list your employment dates either with or without months. However, if you have continuous employment with no gaps, there's no reason not to go ahead and list the months.

How good are those commercial or shareware resume software packages?

Resume software programs lack flexibility. They operate on a "fill in the blanks" format that fails to address unique skills, talents, achievements, abilities, and concerns. They tend to produce generic-looking documents. A generic resume isn't going to move your document to the top of the pile.

A professional resume writer goes beyond simply organizing dates, places, and titles. He/she takes advantage of the individual's unique circumstances. A good resume writer recognizes what the client has to offer, and presents this information in a way that a potential employer will find valuable. Through interaction with the client to maximize their strong points and minimize their negative points, the resulting resume will be far superior to the generic document that resume software produces.

How should resumes and cover letters be mailed?

9" x 12" catalog envelopes. These envelopes allow resumes and cover letters to be mailed without folding. When your submission arrives at its destination, your documents will lie flat on the desk and will look much better. They are also easier to deal with in a paper filing system. Priority Mail envelopes also work well for this purpose and get a little extra attention upon arrival.

Why do many of the resumes I see in resume books sound phony and why can't I find one that fits my situation?

The reason these resumes sound bogus and contrived is because, in some cases, they are. Sometimes, a fake resume will be written to address a specific point the book's author is trying to make. But, as you've discovered, the larger problem with searching resume books for resume examples is that it's highly unlikely you'd ever find one to fit your own unique situation. Resumes are not interchangeable . . . people follow different career tracks and bring different experiences to the table. Imagine searching through 1040 forms trying to find examples of tax returns you might copy and use for your own return . . . a pretty futile effort. You'd probably be better off preparing the return yourself. You'd definitely be better off hiring a tax expert to prepare it for you. It's no different with resumes.

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