Not Your Daddy’s Resume

If you are still carrying around your 12 pt resume on linen paper, we need to talk. It doesn’t work that way anymore. Career planning, job search, and the world of work has changed. Dramatically.

The rules have changed. Actually, the rule book got thrown out several years ago. Now that doesn’t mean that anything goes, there are still basic standards for resumes. They’re just not as standard as they used to be. In fact, if you have 100 resume writers critique your current resume, it’s likely you’ll a hundred different responses.

Don’t worry, it’s a lot more fun doing a resume now. It’s still a lot of work though, so hiring a resume writer can always be helpful. Just make sure you hire one that is understands current trends including branding and social media. Oh, and expect to pay more. Resume writers are much more skilled than in the past. Ask what specialized training they have, that will help you know if you getting someone who is qualified.

So what do you need on a resume? This is very basic, but a good format includes contact information-name, email and phone; professional profile or summary; skills section; education; employment history. Be sure to use keywords that apply to your industry and job title.

Look for creative resumes as a Google search, just to see what people are doing with resumes these days. A creative resume such as these are not appropriate for every job or industry, you need to speak to your audience. You do need to have some style on your resume, it will help you to stand out among the crowd.

If you are doing your resume yourself, do some research first. There is a lot of good information out there you can draw upon. And you don’t need to print on linen paper. We quit doing that in the 80s.

Good luck!