By Shaun Carpenter

What can I do to improve my resume?

I get asked by candidates all the time to critique and make suggestions about their resumes and if job seekers follow a few key points, their resumes will be top notch.

Don’t worry about the length of your resume.  The old rule of fitting everything onto one page or two doesn’t matter.  It’s far more important to have all the relevant information included and rather than trying to make your C.V. a work of art, just make sure it’s comprehensive.  In some competitions, in particular the education sector, it’s common for candidates to include details on all their published papers, research contributions and additional information the selection committee will be interested in reviewing.

Educate your reader.   What I mean here, is recruiters or hiring managers don’t want to be guessing what sort of business your previous/current employer is in.  If the company is even slightly less familiar than Coca Cola or General Motors, just a short paragraph will tell me all I need to know.  Again, take point number one to heart, use up a bit of space and include details on where the company is based; what the company does; whether it’s private or publicly traded; for profit or not for profit; what the annual revenue is; how many people work there; etc, etc.  Usually all this stuff can be accessed easily on the internet, true, but when a recruiter is reviewing resumes of 30 possible candidates, the resumes that answer questions rather than create questions, will be put in the “to be interviewed” pile. 

Don’t be afraid of listing dates.  The worst thing a resume can be is vague.  Fuzziness surrounding how long you’ve worked somewhere or when you completed your undergraduate degree just raises questions.  

Tell me what you’ve done, and don’t be shy.  The reader wants to know about your accomplishments in each of the positions you’ve been in so go ahead and provide a number of bullet points with specific details.  Use statistics, percentage points, facts and figures that substantiate the impact you’ve had.  What did the department or company look like when you joined and what did it look like when you left?  Ask yourself, what legacy did I leave?  After all, the best prediction of future success is what you’ve been able to do in the past.

Don’t let your own personal opinion of your strengths overpower your resume.  Dependable, reliable, hard-working, team-player type comments won’t get you anywhere. These personal descriptions show up on pretty much every resume.  A few key sentences summarizing what you’re best at is okay but there are better ways of helping the reader to know who you are as well as what differentiates you from others.  A “personal mission” or a description of the corporate culture you’re seeking are good approaches.  A few testimonial sentences from a supervisor, the president of your company or a customer is even better.

Finally, how do I reach you?  This may seem too obvious to mention but I can’t believe how many resumes I’ve reviewed that are either missing pertinent contact information or have it embedded in the resume where is easily missed or misplaced.  Having your telephone numbers and email address on the last page isn’t the best idea, as this page sometimes gets left at the printer.  Also if you don’t have an email address, it’s definitely worthwhile to set up an account.  If you don’t have a computer, borrow or rent one.  Consider also, the email address you chose — dancinggirl@yahoo.com or budman@sympatico.ca might be okay for your social networking account, but not for your professional resume.  Make sure that when the recruiter or hiring manager calls your number and gets your voicemail, they hear an appropriate and professional recorded message. Keep in mind, your close friends or Jack FM won’t be the only callers.

Make your resume a reflection of yourself.  Above all, be detailed, honest and authentic.

If you have a question to submit to Headhunter Q&A, please email Shaun Carpenter at shaun@pfmsearch.com.

Shaun Carpenter is Associate Partner with Pinton Forrest & Madden Executive Search. He has worked in the executive search business for 12 years and is well respected in the industry for his aptitude in candidate development and client relations. His thorough, insightful approach gives clients confidence that their needs are being met in a professional, timely manner. Shaun also has past experience as Manager, Human Resources with a leading Canadian health insurance provider where he was responsible for recruitment, retention, coaching, performance management, and employee/labour relations. He received a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Calgary, which included studies abroad at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland. Shaun is also currently an active member of BC HRMA’s Coastal Vancouver Advisory Council.