Five signs your résumé is lame
If you’re applying for an on-air position, a blog with career highlights, awards, photos, videos, community involvement and loads of audio beats an emailed résumé hands down. But if a Program Director requests an emailed package then the résumé is not optional. (Of course, that email should include a link to your blog.)
DivineCaroline.com offers up some signs your résumé is passe (though I prefer the word lame):
1. You’ve forced it to fit onto one page.
You’ve reduced your font size to eight, eliminated margins altogether and left out key information about yourself, all to conform to that age-old “one page résumé” rule. Big mistake. After all, would a recent college grad really need the same amount of resume real estate as someone who’s been in the workforce for twenty years? Of course not. Your resume should be concise. But if your experience warrants two pages, by all means, don’t limit yourself to one.
2. You list an objective.
Of course you’re looking to gain more experience in the field/sector/type of company to which you’re applying. Your interest in the job implies that. Do you really need to say it at the very top of your résumé? If you want to explain why you’re applying for the job, say so in your cover letter. Résumé space is far too valuable to waste on information that is both redundant and inconsequential.
3. You write “References available upon request” at the bottom.
Once again, a waste of valuable space. Do you really need to say so? The hiring manager can only assume that if they ask you for references, you’ll provide them. What, are you going to say “no?” Instead, prepare a list of references with contact details and your relationship to each. Hold onto it until you’re further along in the selection process — you don’t want to annoy your referees with repeated contact by employers who are less than serious about you. Most respectable employers wouldn’t bother to contact a reference until they are fully ready to make you an offer.
4. You attach it to your email as a Word document.
While you’re unlikely to be penalized for emailing a Word document, there’s a lot to be said for converting it to a PDF before sending. A PDF document just looks neater. And even if you’ve gone crazy with the formatting, it will show up correctly on the hiring manager’s computer no matter what their settings, Word version, or font inventory. Besides, do you really want those squiggly red lines showing up under your former company’s name? Stick to PDF. It’s the only surefire way to display your resume exactly as you intended it.
5. You list every job you’ve ever had in chronological order.
In the olden days, the person with the most experience got the job. Nowadays, the person who’s most talented, has the most relevant skill set, and has proven to be most valuable to his or her former employers gets the job. If you want to be that person, make sure your resume says so. Don’t list jobs that are irrelevant to the one you’re applying for just to fill up space. Instead, expand on the jobs that are relevant. Focus on measurable achievements in each role as opposed to a play-by-play of your daily responsibilities.
