How to Shift Your Mindset to Help You Update Your Résumé More Effectively
Let’s take a look back at your accomplishments, shall we?
Photo: ColorJoy Stock
Very few people enjoy writing or updating their résumé, but it is necessary. The best way to dive into this task is to shift your mindset so you view it as a positive experience.
Have you ever stumbled upon an opportunity too great to pass up, only to find out that you need to apply for it as quickly as possible? People find themselves in this situation more often than you might expect, and if you don’t have your résumé updated and on hand, it could create a big problem.
Instead of thinking of updating your résumé as a necessary evil, think of updating your résumé as your opportunity to look back at your accomplishments and pat yourself on the back. Here’s how to get started.
Think of It Like This...
In her new book, “Your Twenties” career coach Jessica Smith tells her readers to “think of updating your résumé as a special time to admire all you’ve accomplished.” Shifting your mindset and taking this perspective when updating or writing your résumé helps to create a more positive experience, and also helps you accept credit and acknowledge all that you’ve accomplished. The biggest challenge people face when writing their résumés, and throughout the job search in general, is selling themselves short and underestimating their value. Think about this when you update your résumé. Be proud of your accomplishments, take credit where you deserve it, and highlight all that you can bring to the table.
Here are some guidelines on how to highlight your accomplishments and write an effective résumé.
Decide How You Want to Portray Yourself
Most people don’t think much about it, but you are a walking billboard, and you have the power to give off whatever perception you want through your résumé. The first step to writing a great résumé is to figure out what kind of jobs you’re interested in applying to, and then figure out how you want to portray yourself for those positions.
Perhaps you want to focus on one area of expertise to highlight on your résumé, or maybe you want to present yourself as an expert in the field as a whole. Figure out what you want your résumé to say about you, and stick to it. If you want to focus on one area of expertise, ensure that it is visible throughout your document. On the other hand, if you're going to present yourself as knowledgeable in different areas, make sure that you touch on each of those specialties in every job description.
Make a List of Your Strengths
A key factor of any résumé is a skills matrix at the top. This ensures that someone can look at your document and quickly tell which skills you possess. If you know that you aren’t proficient in a specific software or could use some work in a specific area, don’t include it. You want this list to highlight only your strongest areas so that an employer or hiring manager focuses on your strengths and not your weaknesses. By omitting areas that you need to work on, you will only draw attention to what you’re good at.
Make a List of Your Accomplishments
Anyone can claim they are a great employee, but very few people can actually show it. Your résumé is your opportunity to present the best version of yourself, so show potential employers all of your accomplishments and achievements, and provide evidence to your claims so that they can see what you bring to the table and how you will be beneficial if hired. Think about what you’ve accomplished that’s measurable: Have you increased sales? Have you been recognized for your success? Have you implemented process improvements or cost-cutting techniques?
Whatever you have done to improve your company and/or department, you want to show it on your résumé. Don’t be afraid to calculate numbers from your own data. As long as you can prove your calculations, you can use them on your résumé. Want more data to use? Ask your manager. Phrase it in a way that shows that you’re trying to improve, not potentially leave the company. A good way to ask is something like this:
“I’m trying to compile some data to measure my progress in this role and see how I can continue to improve. Is there anything you feel I’ve been particularly successful with or an area you feel I excel at?”
This will give your manager an opportunity to give you praise and potentially give you some constructive criticism as well, both of which will be useful when writing a résumé. That being said, phrasing your question like this will provide you with some information without giving away that you’re looking at other job opportunities.
When it comes to updating your résumé, it’s important to shift your mindset to position the experience in a positive light. It’s your opportunity to pat yourself on the back and acknowledge all the amazing work you’ve done! This is your time to be proud of yourself and articulate all that you have to offer. Highlight all of your skills and achievements, do the research, and put forth the best document possible. Your résumé is your opportunity to present the best version of yourself, so take advantage of that and show people what you want them to see!
About the author: A native San Franciscan, Michele Lando is a certified professional résumé writer and founder of writestylesonline.com. She has a passion for helping others present the best version of themselves, both on paper and in person, and works to polish individuals' application package and personal styles. Aiming to help create a perfect personal branding package, Write Styles presents tips to enhance your résumé, style, and boost your confidence.
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This story was originally published on August 22, 2018, and has since been updated.
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The Recent Graduate's Guide to Crafting a Perfect Résumé
Congrats! You’re getting a job.
Photo: Create & Cultivate
Writing a résumé is hard and it’s not something that is often taught in school, so it’s okay to feel overwhelmed about how to write your first résumé and where to start. When you’re figuring out how to write your first résumé, it is important to figure out what you want to gain from the document. What are you going to use it for? Will you be applying to higher education programs, internships, or jobs? Your résumé will differ substantially depending on what you will be using it for, so it’s crucial to figure this out before getting started. If you’re a recent graduate on the job hunt, keep reading for some foolproof résumé tips.
Start with the Basics
When you’re figuring out what information to include on a résumé, start with the basics. You should always create a header with your contact information including your phone number, email address, and location. Just include your city and state; no need to write down your exact address.
If you do have a personal website, include that as well, but do not include the link to your LinkedIn profile. If you’re using LinkedIn correctly, you will be easily searchable, so there’s no need to add the direct link on your résumé.
List Your Skills
Putting your skills at the top of the document immediately increases the effectiveness of your résumé. Recruiters look at each résumé for an average of six seconds each. That means you have six seconds to show that you are qualified and what you can bring to the table. When you put your skills matrix up at the top, this shows the reader exactly what you have to offer and highlights that you are qualified for the position right off the bat.
The quicker you grab someone’s attention and persuade them that you’re the right candidate for the position, the more likely you’ll be to get past the initial influx of applicants.
Gather Your Employment Information
When you’re starting to write your first résumé, you might not have traditional employment information. If you do have traditional work experience, gather your dates of employment, (month and year) job description, projects you worked on, and any additional information you can include like how many people you worked with.
As a new graduate, no one expects you to have a lot of work experience; however, potential employers do want to see any volunteer work, side projects, and/or internships you’ve had. If you need to beef up your résumé, even more, include information about relevant school projects you worked on. This will help highlight your ability to work on a given project under constraints and will help highlight your relevant industry knowledge.
If you’re listing class projects on your résumé, use the school name in place of the company name, and include something along the lines of “[Class Title] Project Manager,” “Student Project Manager,” or “[Class Title] Student” in place of a job title.
Gather Specific Metrics and Achievements for Each Role
The key to a great résumé is highlighting exactly what you’ve achieved and what you can bring to a new position. This is not the place to include a general job description that can be used for anyone with that job title.
Try to answer these questions for each role you put on your résumé:
What did you do in this role?
How many people did you work with or manage?
What kind of projects did you work on?
What were the results of those projects?
This will help ensure that your résumé immediately reflects your achievements and what you can bring to the table. Anyone can say that they’re great at their job, but very few people can actually show it. When you’re noting your achievements, think about how you can quantify what you’ve done.
Gather Your Education Information
Unless it is your highest level of education or you are in your first year of college, do not include information about your high school diploma. Similarly, there is no need to include GPA unless you’re currently in school and have a very high GPA (3.8 or above).
When it comes to listing education, start with the highest level of education at the top and list backward from there.
For example:
Ph.D. information
Master’s information
Bachelor’s information
High School information
*Include certifications and specialized training
When you’re learning how to write your first résumé as a new graduate, certifications and specialized training make a huge difference. Even if you don’t have specific certifications but you’ve had internal training, taken an online course, or even just an online tutorial, include that in your résumé.
For example, you can take some online tutorials and training sessions on QuickBooks or Adobe Photoshop via YouTube and list that as specialized training. As long as the training gives you an advantage and further educates you on a subject, you can list it on your résumé.
If you’re struggling with how to write your first résumé, relax. You’re not alone! Writing a résumé is hard, and it’s often something that people are forced to learn on their own. Just take it one step at a time, gather the required information, and go from there!
When in doubt, you can always hire a professional to help!
About the Author: A native San Franciscan, Michele Lando is a certified professional résumé writer and founder of writestylesonline.com. She has a passion for helping others present the best version of themselves, both on paper and in person, and works to polish individuals' application package and personal style. Aiming to help create a perfect personal branding package, Write Styles presents tips to enhance your résumé, style, and boost your confidence.
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This story was originally published on July 27, 2018, and has since been updated.
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5 Job Hunting Tips to Score Your Dream Career
It’s not just about your résumé.
Photo: Create & Cultivate
Would you believe more than half of the people who are currently employed are considering a new job?
It feels like we’re always striving for something bigger and better to fulfill our professional and personal goals. But, before you dive into the tedious world of job hunting, be sure to take the necessary steps to ensure you’re as prepared as can be for what your future might hold. This doesn’t just mean updating your résumé; think a lot harder and deeper about how you’re portraying yourself to potential employers.
Here are a few key steps you can take before you embark on the job hunt adventure. No need to thank us when you land your dream job.
Broaden your job search.
While looking for a new job, take the time to really focus on how you want to progress with your professional career. Search for keywords that are broader than you’re used to searching. Sometimes jobs are listed under a variety of topics that you might not be thinking about. For example, if you work in marketing, try searching social media terms, and brand marketing terms to expand your search to reach more companies with even more open positions.
If you’re looking for writing jobs, try searching for magazines and other publications in the area and scouring their websites for open positions that might not show up on job search websites (Glassdoor, LinkedIn, Indeed, etc). You might end up finding something that fits exactly what you’ve been looking for.
Curate a cover letter (every time).
Some applications don’t require a cover letter, but most do. Although it feels easier to just skip the cover letter, never skip it. This is your chance to show the employer who you are and what you’re capable of in your professional field. A cover letter is the best way to talk yourself up, cater to the employer, and show off all of your valid experience.
Take the time to look up various cover letter templates to help you find a format that works for you and your career. It’s also important to read through the position you’re applying for and pick out keywords that are used repeatedly to describe the candidate the company is looking for. Input those specific keywords into your cover letter and back them up with your relevant experience.
This is the perfect way to stand out among the rest of the cover letters employers will be reading. Not only will this make you look good, but it will help boost your confidence for any tough interview questions that come your way in the future.
Follow up with an employee.
Don’t you hate being ghosted by companies? Have you ever gone a month or more without hearing back about a job? Trust me, it’s normal. Think about how many people have applied for the job and how much time it is going to take HR to sift through all of the candidates. After about a week or so, I’ve found it beneficial to search for an email address of someone who works in the department you’re looking to be a part of or someone on the HR team.
Make your email short and sweet. Simply state your name, the position you are interested in, and your desire to learn how the hiring process is going so far.
Here is an example to follow:
Dear (Employee Name),
My name is (Name) and I recently applied for the (Job Title) position. I’m very interested in this role and would love to hear how the hiring process is coming along. Let me know!
I look forward to hearing from you,
(Name)
Perfect your résumé.
This one is self-explanatory but still so important to the job hunt. Without a clean, updated, and crisp résumé, hiring managers won’t be inclined to reach out to you. The first step is to match your résumé to you and your profession. Make it artistic and colorful if you’re in the arts, make it innovative and dynamic if you’re interested in the business field, and so on. Always keep your résumé updated and always save your résumé as a PDF.
That way employers can quickly check out your résumé without the hassle of downloads, slow internet, etc. Don’t forget to input any keywords that are relevant to the position you’re applying for. Did you know more than half of candidates are eliminated from the online job search by applicant tracking systems? This is due to a lack of relevancy between your résumé and the job description.
Canva is a great tool to use to reformat your résumé. The website provides you with a variety of templates to choose from, allowing you to utilize all the space on the page, and provides fonts, colors, and pictures to fit properly onto your résumé. Take your time while creating it, have friends and coworkers look it over for basic editing and readability purposes.
Secure recommendation letters.
Before you start providing various forms of information to a possible future employer, make sure you’ve solidified a couple of recommendation letters. Reach out to previous supervisors and mentors and update them on your career endeavors and what types of jobs you’re applying for. Don’t forget to grab a current email and phone number for each person, so the employer can contact them if need be.
Not all applications ask for recommendation letters, but I’ve found them helpful throughout the interview process. If you’re on a second or third interview, it might be beneficial to pass your letters along to whoever you’ve been conversing with to give yourself a little boost in the hiring process. Any material that highlights your professional work in a positive light can only help you along in the job hunt.
Implement some of these tips right away and get started on finding your dream job. If you’re creative and looking to dive into the marketing/advertising world, check out some job listings here.
About the Author: Abbey Adams currently works at an enterprise SEO marketing company while also maintaining her music blog blondieandthebeat.com) of six years. Throughout her time as a freelance writer for a women’s magazine, she’s learned to share every story and always try to empower as many women as possible. You can usually find her typing in bed binging “Sex and the City” (for the 10th time) or at the gym sweating out her anxiety on the stairclimber.
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This story was originally published on September 19, 2019, and has since been updated.
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3 Signs It’s Time to Take Something Off of Your Résumé
Yes, you read that right.
Photo: ColorJoy Stock
When I hosted a mentor session for Create & Cultivate Insiders, I got a lot of questions about résumé format and career path, but one question that stood out to me was, “When is it time to take something off of your résumé?” This is a great question because the answer depends on your experience and the goal of your résumé.
With that said, there are a few guidelines you should follow to help you see the signs that it’s time to take something off of your résumé. A common misconception is that you should include your whole career path on your résumé. While this is true for some people, most people should include some adjusted versions of their career path on their résumé.
Today, I want to discuss when to take something off of your résumé.
Take it off if… It doesn’t serve a purpose.
If you’re pondering the question, “When is it time to take something off of your résumé?” consider the fact that you only have a set amount of space to craft the perfect snapshot of your career. Everything on your résumé should serve a purpose.
Is an experience listed on your résumé to camouflage an employment gap?
Is an experience listed on your résumé to highlight your experience in a particular field or specialty?
Is an experience listed on your résumé because you want to show that you have experience in a specific role?
Is an experience listed on your résumé because the company name holds influential power?
Every piece of information included should serve a purpose. If it does not, it’s time to remove it from your résumé.
Take it off if… It was in a different lifetime.
Depending on the person and situation, I typically recommend including about 10-20 years of experience on a résumé. Including information that’s older than that is often not worth it. There are exceptions to this if the experience serves a purpose, (i.e. it shows a notable company, client, or role), however, most of the time you don’t need to go back that far.
If you have a lot of great experience that was a few decades ago, you can save those anecdotes to use during your interview.
“If it doesn’t serve a purpose—or was from a different lifetime—it’s probably time to take it off.”
—Michele Lando, founder of Write Styles
Take it off if… It makes you seem less experienced or too experienced.
Some experiences may have been very valuable and may have even been a turning point in your life/career, but they might work against you. Great examples of experiences that are important but not important for your résumé when you have an established career are college classes or internships. Note that these are not important to include if you have an established career.
If you are currently in school or just out of school searching for your first job, college classes or class projects are a great way to bolster your résumé and highlight your industry knowledge. However, if you do have an established career, they will often make you appear less experienced.
Unless you’re currently in college or recently graduated (looking for your first job out of college) there is no need to include information about the classes you took in school. Once you’ve made it past your first or second entry-level job, employers care more about what you’ve accomplished at work than what you learned in a classroom. Education is important, but on-the-job experience always takes precedence.
On that same note, it’s important to consider if a role makes you appear too experienced for the position you’re applying to. If you’re trying to shift careers or maybe take a lower-level position because of location, it’s important to be conscious of what information can make you appear too experienced for the job. If a potential employer feels that you’re overqualified for the job, they may fear that you’ll get bored easily which could equate to you inadequately completing required tasks or leaving a role quickly which would increase turnover.
Ultimately, every piece of information you include on your résumé should serve a purpose. It may be tempting to include everything to show your entire career path and/or versatility, but it’s important to consider the question of when is it time to take something off of your résumé. If it doesn’t serve a purpose or was from a different lifetime, it’s probably time to take it off.
About the Author: Michele Lando is a certified professional résumé writer, personal branding expert, and founder of Write Styles. She has a passion for helping others present the best version of themselves both on paper and in person, and works to polish individuals' application package and personal style. Aiming to help create a perfect personal branding package, Write Styles provides resources to enhance your résumé, professional appearance, and boost your confidence. Michele strives to help others gain the confidence to put their best foot forward in a personal and professional light.
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This story was originally published on October 30, 2019, and has since been updated.
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How to Land the Job You're Overqualified For
Work that cover letter.
Photo: Christina Jones Photography
You have all of the qualifications and more, but you just can’t seem to land the job. Sound familiar? It’s harder to land a job that you’re overqualified for than you might think.
Employers want to hire an employee who is the right fit in every sense of the phrase. If an employer sees you as overqualified, their concern might be that the compensation won’t be enough to keep you in the role, or worse, that you’ll be bored in the role and won’t do well.
According to the Society for Human Resource Management, the result of poor job fit and employee turnover can cost an organization between 50 to 60% of the person’s annual salary. In other words, companies have to be extremely strategic when it comes to hiring, so if an interviewer or hiring manager has any inkling that you might not be the best candidate to fill the role, they will likely go with someone else.
Here are some tips for how to apply for a job you’re overqualified for—and get it!
TAILOR YOUR RÉSUMÉ TO THE JOB
Customize your résumé to meet the exact position you’re interested in. This is important when applying for any job, but when you’re overqualified for a position, it becomes even more crucial.
When you’re trying to customize your résumé to meet a job you’re overqualified for, the key is to highlight all of the skills and qualifications that the desired job description holds, and downplay unnecessary information that might deter someone from hiring you.
For example, if you held the title of client relationship manager and did everything from sales to client onboarding, to office management and administrative tasks, but you’re applying for an administrative assistant, you’ll want to highlight the office management and client-facing communication, and you’ll most likely want to downplay the sales aspects of your previous role.
Note: This does not mean that you should “dumb down” your résumé. It’s always great to highlight that you’re smart, strong, and capable, however when you’re applying for a job that you’re overqualified for, you need to highlight the requirements of the given job description and show your potential employer why you will be great and satisfied with the role.
WORK THAT COVER LETTER
You can only customize a résumé so much. Your cover letter is where you can explain exactly why you want this specific position, and why you would be amazing at it. When you’re applying for a job that you’re overqualified for, use the cover letter to explain why you want to take on a role that may be beneath you.
This could be any reason, from caring deeply about a cause or wanting to work with this specific company, or even something more personal like relocation due to a family member. Whatever your reason is, use your cover letter to explain yourself and show the reader that you truly do want the position even if it might be a lower-level position that you’ve held in the past.
CHANGE YOUR PERSPECTIVE
It’s easy to feel like you’re a shoo-in for the role if you have all of the qualifications and more, but try your best to look at it from the perspective of the hiring manager. Take note of the potential downfalls of hiring someone overqualified for the position, and aim to highlight why that won’t be a problem in your documents. Show all of the reasons why it would be beneficial to hire you and show the reader why you really want the job. Employers want to hire candidates who want to be there, and if you can show that through your résumé and cover letter, you will have a much better shot at securing the role.
Landing a job that you’re overqualified for is harder than you might expect, but if you can persuade your potential employer that you really want to take on the job and that you’re excited about it, the process will be much easier. Remember that it is a risk to hire an employee who is overqualified for a position, and show your potential employer why you’re worth that risk!
About the Author: A native San Franciscan, Michele Lando is a certified professional résumé writer and founder of writestylesonline.com. She has a passion for helping others present the best version of themselves, both on paper and in person, and works to polish an individual’s application package and personal style. Aiming to help create a perfect personal branding package, Write Styles presents tips to enhance your résumé, style, and boost your confidence.
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This story was originally published on May 17, 2018, and has since been updated.
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Your Complete Checklist to Writing a Résumé From Scratch
Your next career move starts here.
Photo: ColorJoy Stock by Christina Jones Photography
Writing a résumé is hard, and it’s often something that’s not taught in school, so consider this your crash course in how to write a résumé that will land you the job.
Now, first things first. Before you start listing your qualifications, it’s important to know what you want to gain from your résumé. What are you going to use it for? Will you be applying to higher education programs, internships, or jobs? If you’re already in the workforce, do you want to stay on the same career path or do you want to transition into something different?
Your résumé will differ greatly depending on your answers to these questions, so it’s crucial to go through this exercise before getting started. Next, you’ll want to gather your information. So let’s get started.
Contact Information
When you’re figuring out what information to include on a résumé, start with the basics. You should always create a header with your contact information. Make sure you include the following:
Phone number
Email address
Location (Just include your city and state; no need to write down your exact address.)
Website if applicable (Note this is NOT your LinkedIn profile. If you’re using LinkedIn correctly, you will be easily searchable, so there’s no need to include the direct link on your résumé.)
Headlining Statement
A headlining statement is a crucial part of a résumé. It takes the place of what once was an “objective” but is much more effective. Think of a headlining statement as a snapshot of your career. It’s a quick two to three sentence maximum statement about who you are, what you do, and what value you bring as a candidate.
Skills Matrix
Putting your skills toward the top of the document immediately increases the effectiveness of your résumé. Recruiters look at a résumé for approximately six seconds. That means you have mere moments to show that you are qualified and demonstrate what you bring to the table. When you put your skills matrix towards the top, this shows the reader exactly what you have to offer and highlights that you are qualified for the position right off the bat.
The faster you can grab someone’s attention and persuade them you’re the right candidate for the position, the more likely you’ll be to get past the initial influx of applicants.
Employment Information
Depending on what stage you’re at in your career, you might not have traditional employment information. If you do have traditional work experience, gather your dates of employment, (month and year) job description, projects you worked on, and any additional information you can include like how many people you managed.
If you are in school or are just starting out in your career, you’ll want to include volunteer work and/or internship information. If you need to add even more relevant industry experience, include information about relevant school projects you worked on. This will help highlight your ability to work on a given project under constraints and will help highlight your relevant industry knowledge.
If you are listing class projects on your résumé, use the school name in place of the company name, and include something along the lines of “[Class Title] Project Manager,” “Student Project Manager,” or “[Class Title] Student” in place of a job title.
Specific Metrics and Achievements for Each Role
The key to a great résumé is highlighting exactly what you’ve achieved and what you can bring to a new role. This is not the place to include a general job description that can be used for anyone with that job title. Include specific information about what you did, how many people you worked with or managed, projects you worked on, and project results to ensure that your résumé immediately reflects your achievements and what you can bring to the table.
Anyone can say that they’re great at their job, but very few people can actually show it. When you’re noting your achievements, think about how you can quantify what you’ve done.
Education Information
Unless it is your highest level of education or you are in your first year of college, do not include information about your high school diploma. Similarly, there is no need to include GPA unless you’re currently in school and have a very high GPA (3.8 or above).
When it comes to listing education, start with the highest level of education at the top and list backward from there. For example:
PhD information
Master’s information
Bachelor’s information
High School information
Unless you are currently in school or are in a profession where your degree is a key factor, (i.e. medicine, law, etc.) your education should be listed at the bottom of your résumé. If you are in school or in one of the professions where your education is very important, your education will go towards the top under your skills list.
Certifications and Specialized Training
Including certifications and specialized training on your résumé make a huge difference in how impactful your document is. Even if you don’t have specific certifications but you’ve had internal training, taken an online course, or even just an online tutorial, include that on your résumé.
About the Author: Michele Lando is a certified professional résumé writer, personal branding expert, and founder of Write Styles. She has a passion for helping others present the best version of themselves both on paper and in person and works to polish individuals' application package and personal style. Aiming to help create a perfect personal branding package, Write Styles provides resources to enhance your résumé, professional appearance, and boost your confidence. Michele strives to help others gain the confidence to put their best foot forward in a personal and professional light.
This story was originally published on January 6, 2020, and has since been updated.
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The Definitive List of What to (and What NOT to) Include on Your Résumé
Avoid these common mistakes.
Photo: Ivan Samkov from Pexels
Figuring out what information to include on a résumé can be difficult (psst… don’t make these mistakes) because truth be told, there’s no one answer for everyone. What information you should include on your résumé largely depends on your career, level of experience, industry, and a whole slew of other factors.
With that in mind, there are some general guidelines you can follow to better assist you with gathering the right information. Here are five do’s and don’ts of what to include on your resume.
DO
Use a font that is simple and easy to read. If you want to go with sans serif (more modern) try using something like Arial or Open Sans. If you want a serif font (slightly more traditional) try Garamond.
DON’T
Use some fancy cursive font or a font that is difficult to read. Simple is always better for fonts.
DO
Add your education. Unless high school is your highest level of education, no need to include it. If you’re currently in college, this implies that you’ve completed high school. If you’ve graduated from college and/or post-graduate schools, include all of those degrees.
DON’T
Include dates of education unless you are just out of college or in college and have very little experience. If you’re in college or just graduated, it’s important to include dates of education to give perspective on why you don’t have much experience. Once you’re a couple of years out of school, don’t include dates of education on your resume. It can actually work against you if someone thinks you’re too green or too far out of school.
DO
Add certifications or specialized training (i.e. online courses, on the job training, software training, etc.)
DON’T
List out relevant college classes unless you’re currently in school or just graduated and need to show that you have industry knowledge.
DO
Use job descriptions to your advantage and pull keywords and phrases from the job descriptions to integrate into your resume.
DON’T
Copy job descriptions and use those on your resume. Integrating keywords and phrases is important, but simply copying and pasting a job description you found online won’t benefit you.
DO
Include specific metrics and achievements. Think about how you can quantify your achievements and how you can articulate your value.
DON’T
Use information from your coworker’s resume. They might have similar job duties to you, but you likely won’t have the exact same achievements.
About the Author: A native San Franciscan, Michele Lando is a certified professional résumé writer and founder of writestylesonline.com. She has a passion for helping others present the best version of themselves, both on paper and in person, and works to polish an individual’s application package and personal style. Aiming to help create a perfect personal branding package, Write Styles presents tips to enhance your résumé, style, and boost your confidence.
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This story was originally published on August 23, 2019, and has since been updated.
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How to Translate Your Résumé Into a Great LinkedIn Profile
Make your dream job come to you.
Photo: Christina Jones Photography
LinkedIn is an amazing tool to keep up with your network, highlight your accomplishments, and search for the job of your dreams, but figuring out how to optimize the platform can be tricky. If you’re struggling with how to create a great LinkedIn profile, keep in mind that your LinkedIn profile should look a lot like your résumé.
Think about your LinkedIn profile as if it is your résumé, but with a little more personality and flair. LinkedIn should always remain professional; however, it allows you to give a little more insight as to who you are as a person. Here’s how to translate your résumé into a great LinkedIn profile:
Make your headline align with the headline of your résumé.
By default, LinkedIn will make your headline whatever your current job title is, but your headline can be a lot more interesting than that! You can manually go in and change your LinkedIn headline.
By updating your headline, you’ll gain two major benefits:
1) Your headline will be more interesting and will be more likely to grab someone’s attention.
2) Integrating keywords into your headline makes you more searchable and will increase your chances of coming up on related keyword searches. (There are recruiters who spend the entirety of their days scouring LinkedIn for potential candidates.) You want your headline to grab someone’s attention and use keywords and phrases so that you come up on keyword searches.
Here’s a great example of a headlining statement:
“Accomplished IT professional offering 20+ years of progressive leadership in technical assistance and expertise in client-facing communication”
This statement uses key phrases such as “leadership,” “technical assistance,” and “client-facing communication” while highlighting this person’s extensive experience (20+ years). The statement is much more effective than simply using the job title “IT Help Desk Manager”.
Add skills to help attract recruiters.
This is an easy way to optimize your profile and improve your search engine optimization (SEO). Add skills to the skills section of your résumé. Figure out what kind of jobs you want to attract and include related search terms.
An easy way to figure out what terms to include on your profile is to look at a job description posted on LinkedIn. Often LinkedIn will show you the keywords that they are looking for and will tell you what terms you have and have not included throughout your profile.
Use these as a guide to figure out what skills to add in the skills section. This will vastly improve your LinkedIn visibility and will help you attract attention from recruiters and hiring managers.
Make sure that your job history and job descriptions align with your résumé.
When you’re working on your LinkedIn profile, it is essential to make sure that your profile aligns with your résumé and shows the same career path. It can differ slightly since it is important to cater to your résumé to each specific job; however, someone should be able to look at your résumé and see essentially the same career trajectory on your LinkedIn profile. Consistency across channels is key, and inconsistency can cause skepticism from recruiters or potential employers.
Creating a cohesive personal brand is extremely important for developing your career, and using consistent branding across channels helps build your credibility. Think about it this way: If you search for a person or business and see multiple platforms and channels come up with the same information and visuals, you can assume that this person has put in the time to create a consistent branding strategy. If you see different visuals, as well as inconsistent verbiage and job history across platforms, it’s harder to believe that the person is professional and trustworthy.
It’s important to present uniform content across LinkedIn and your résumé. The more channels and social platforms you utilize, the more reputable and trustworthy your brand becomes. If someone is unable to find a source of your work, including examples, contact information, and recognition, they’re unlikely to trust you as a professional. If you can’t establish trust among recruiters and/or hiring managers, you won’t be able to land a job.
Ask for a recommendation.
Referrals, recommendations, and testimonials are a huge part of building online trust and maximizing your online footprint. When a trusted friend tells you about a business, you transfer that trust to the company. Similarly, when a trusted industry professional recommends a person, you transfer that trust onto the person to whom they are referring. LinkedIn recommendations are a great way to highlight your expertise and leverage your connections.
If you’re stumped on how to reach out to someone about writing you a LinkedIn recommendation, try phrasing it like this:
“Hi X,
I hope this note finds you well. I’m working on building my online footprint and I’m wondering if you would be willing to share some feedback on your experience working with me? If so, I’d really appreciate it if you could write me a short LinkedIn recommendation.
Thanks, and please let me know if there’s anything I can do to return the favor.
Best,
[Your Name]”
Update your photos.
Having a great LinkedIn profile photo is essential—members who include a profile photo receive 21x more profile views and up to 36x more messages. However, many people don’t realize that including a background photo is an important element of a great LinkedIn profile as well. One of the amazing qualities about LinkedIn is that it lets you put a face to a name, which subconsciously establishes an emotional connection. You’re much more likely to remember someone who you’ve seen a picture of then simply remembering their name out of a stack of résumés. Including a background photo provides further insight as to who you are and what your personality is like. This helps strengthen that connection with the reader.
Your cover photo or background photo gives you the opportunity to highlight your personality and/or your field of work. If you’re feeling stuck on what kind of photo to use, try going with one of these two options: Pick a photo related to your career (my background photo is a photo I took of a keyboard). If you want to show more personality, pick a photo that you connect with. If you like hiking or camping in a certain place, pick a landscape image of that area. If you’re from a specific city that adds to your identity, pick a cityscape. If you do pick a photo without an obvious correlation, be sure to reference it somewhere in your summary.
For example, if you picked a landscape of a hiking location you love, you could say something along the lines of “when I’m not working, you’ll often find me outside either hiking or camping…”
Change your LinkedIn profile URL.
This is one of the easiest ways to make your LinkedIn profile look more professional. When you create a LinkedIn profile, by default your profile URL will be something along the lines of https://linkedin.com/in/firstname-lastname-99765bxkjhjhy with that ugly long string of random letters and numbers at the end of the link. You can change that!
You can actually change your LinkedIn profile URL to almost anything after the linkedin.com/in/ however I recommend sticking with something along the lines of your first name and last name. If your first and last names are taken, try adding a simple number (i.e. birth year, graduation year, etc.), middle initial, or something else fairly neutral. I’ve seen people use city or state initials, which work as well.
The goal is to make your LinkedIn profile URL more simple, clean, and easy to remember. Here’s a step by step guide on how to change your LinkedIn profile URL.
A great LinkedIn profile is an essential element of your personal brand and is a very important tool to utilize when looking for a job. Updating your profile can take time; however, doing so will help you increase your visibility on the platform.
About the Author: A native San Franciscan, Michele Lando is a certified professional résumé writer and founder of writestylesonline.com. She has a passion for helping others present the best version of themselves, both on paper and in person, and works to polish an individual’s application package and personal style. Aiming to help create a perfect personal branding package, Write Styles presents tips to enhance your résumé, style, and boost your confidence.
Love this story? Pin the below graphic to your Pinterest board.
This story was originally published on August 30, 2019, and has since been updated.
4 Pro Tips for Navigating the Job Hunt During COVID-19
How to level up during lockdown.
Photo: Vlada Karpovich for Pexels
With one-in-four young adults facing unemployment, there’s no better time to stay focused on your career goals. Though this might not be the easiest time to find a job, it doesn’t mean that opportunities aren’t out there—you just have to know how to find them and how to stand out in a sea of résumés. Here are a couple of ways to stay focused and remain successful in your job search during COVID-19.
Reach Out to Your Network
LinkedIn was made for times like these. Use it to your advantage and start networking! Take the time to reach out to friends past and present to see if they know of any job opportunities that might be of interest to you. Try to keep the conversation light and informative; explain what you’re looking for and how appreciative you are of their time and insights.
Are you a college graduate? Don’t forget to connect with previous professors, old classmates, and alumni who are in your field, they might know of a company or a person who you can connect with. Utilize LinkedIn messaging and InMail to reach out and start a conversation. Twitter is another great place to get ahold of people in a more direct/personal way.
Stay Active
It’s easy to let unemployment bring you down and break your spirit, but don’t forget your passion and future goals. Stay active in your job search and keep a daily schedule in order to stay fervent in your mission. Structure your days and block off time to job hunt. Not only will this keep you highly productive but will keep you from feeling overwhelmed or stressed. Here are a couple of ways to stay active during your job search:
Post a couple of times a week on LinkedIn related to your career path. This could be industry news, or even just motivational/inspirational content for others to see that you are active and using the platform for job purposes.
Build out your profile on other job sites so employers can easily find you.
Send follow-up emails for job applications and interviews and always keep checking your email for any updates.
Set Up Alerts
Job search sites like Glassdoor, LinkedIn, and Indeed allow you to set up job alerts. These can be customized for whatever type of job you’re looking for, including distance, industry, type of company, salary, etc. You can also choose whether you want the alerts to arrive in your inbox weekly or daily. These reminders can be a quick way for you to stay on top of job openings and make it easier than ever to apply and get on with the rest of your day.
Update Your Résumé
There’s nothing more important than an updated résumé, cover letter, and portfolio. Your résumé should reflect your career, for example, if you’re a graphic designer, show off some of your skills with a colorful and stylish résumé. Make sure your job descriptions are detailed and concise for the average employer to read through and understand.
While applying for jobs, don’t forget to tailor your cover letter to the position you’re applying for, and be sure to include keywords that will grab the employer’s attention and prove you have all of the right experience.
Depending on your career and job history, a portfolio is another great asset to carry with you to job interviews. For writers and people in the creative field, it’s an easy way to show off your skills and clips in a more formal way than just an attached PDF.
Create the future you deserve by building your new job-hunt routine and staying on top of your goals and skills. Use these tips to your advantage and land that dream job!
About the Author: Abbey currently works at a full-service ad agency as a digital marketing coordinator. She also owns a music blog (blondieandthebeat.com) where she writes about music and artists she loves. Throughout her time as a writer and media maven, she’s remained passionate in her love of sharing stories, curating content, and inspiring women. You can usually find her cuddled up on the couch binging “Sex and the City” (for the 20th time) or caught up in a good book.
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Mentor Monday: 3 Things a Resume Expert Wants You to Know
Get a sneak-peek into our Insiders membership monthly perk.
Photo Courtesy of: Create & Cultivate
Did you know that Create & Cultivate has an Insiders membership program? There are SO many perks to being a member but one of our most popular is the monthly mentor sessions. These monthly digital videos give members some serious facetime with experts across various fields, and the opportunity to get personalized answers to all of their pressing business and career-oriented questions. Members can register for these informative live streams ahead of time and send their own questions to be answered in real-time.
Recently, professional resume writer and personal branding expert Michele Lando hosted a mentor session for our Insiders to answer all of their burning resume questions. As the founder of Write Styles—a provider for personal branding through curating clients’ resumes and self-confidence while navigating the workforce—Lando is very well-versed in the do’s and don’ts of resume drafting.
Here are three key takeaways from the mentor session to apply to your own resume today:
1. Less is More.
“You don’t want your document to be so over-the-top that someone doesn’t actually focus on the information.” In this portion of the Mentor Session, Michele Lando is referring to the design and layout of your resume. When it comes to color palettes or eye-catching graphics, Lando recommends double-checking that your design enhances the information, rather than taking away from the information. After all, you are promoting your own skills, not your aesthetic eye (unless you are applying for a graphic design position, in which case Lando says there are exceptions).
2. Your side hustle may be worth leaving off.
“Anytime you go to include anything on your resume … make sure it sticks within the focus you’re trying to highlight and the skillset that you’re trying to highlight.” Here, Lando honed in on tweaking your resume based upon the position you are applying for. For example, if your side hustle does not support any skills that could be useful to have for your potential new job, it may be better to just leave it off. Additionally, Lando points out that if you’re applying for a job that requires a large time commitment, it may be smarter to remove your side hustle because people may be concerned you do not have room in your schedule to take on another career.
3. Don’t be afraid to step into a new industry.
“Keep an open mind. When you’re trying to switch industries, I think the first thing to consider is that it’s not all-or-nothing. It is one step at a time.” If you’re trying to transition careers but feel like your lack of experience in that field is leaving you feeling less qualified against other candidates, Lando does not feel that this is a cause for serious concern. Instead, she recommends that you start taking informational classes so that you can display on your resume that you have at least a baseline understanding of what you are wanting to transition into. Also, she suggests using your current job to your advantage in the meantime. See what pockets of your current workspace you have yet to explore, and ask to sit in on projects, take on different roles, and try to explore other opportunities.
Be sure to sign up for our program sooner than later to hear who will lead the next mentor session! For more information on our membership program, check out our FAQs page.
These 5 Resume Mistakes Are the Worst—Here’s How to Fix Them
You only have six seconds to impress a recruiter—make yours memorable.
When is the last time you updated your resume? Months ago? Years ago? Whether you’re actively looking for a new job now or are considering making a career change in the future, keeping your resume in tip-top shape is crucial. In order to differentiate yourself from other applicants, you’ll want to avoid making these five mistakes on your resume so you stand out to recruiters. Knowing from personal experience in the recruiting world, recruiters only give about six seconds to review a resume—ten if they’re feeling generous. All this to say: you need a stellar resume, and we’re here to help.
Read on to learn about five resume mistakes we see all the time and how to fix them.
Resume mistake: Typos and grammatical errors
Quick Fix: I’m going to be frank with you here—there is no excuse for having typos and grammatical errors on your resume. But that’s easy to fix. Especially with GoogleDocs corrections and the plethora of extensions that you can add to your browser. Just install the Grammarly extension in your Chrome browser and it will check all of your documents including emails and give you suggestions. All of our editors at C&C use it. It’s just nice to know that someone’s got your back.
Resume mistake: Not customizing your resume
Quick Fix: Ever heard of a burrito? Typically made with beans, rice, cheese, salsa, and the like? Your resume shouldn’t look anything like that. Let me explain. There are two types of resumes that you should have—a burrito resume and a targeted resume. The burrito resume is, often times, only for you. It lists every career experience you’ve had with as much detail about each experience as you see fit. This resume should not be sent with a job application, that’s where your targeted resume comes in. Your targeted resume should be customized to the job that you’re applying for—for example, if I’m applying for a job in influencer marketing, I should list experience that involves analytical, creative, and customer service experience. Everything else should be kept out. And now who’s hungry for a burrito?
Resume mistake: Lack of detail
Quick Fix: Instead of simply stating what you did, explain in more detail the work that you have accomplished.
For example:
1. Ran influencer campaigns on YouTube.
2. Executed over 200 YouTube influencers by sourcing, negotiating, and launching campaigns with talent directly, resulting in over 1,000+ new customers and $200,000 in product sales.
Number one doesn’t provide enough information to get a recruiter interested, whereas number two is equal parts quality and quantity. You want to explain what you did and quantify your work as much as possible.
Resume mistake: Too long
Quick Fix: If your resume is targeted for the job that you’re applying for, chances are, you should be able to keep it to one page. And one page is truly the ideal length for your resume. Especially when a recruiter is shifting through hundreds of resumes a day, you don’t want them to immediately see that your resume is two or three pages long and dismiss it. Short and sweet, while simultaneously detailed and effective.
Resume mistake: Overly visual (or not visual at all)
Quick Fix: The design and layout of your resume is just as important as the quality of your statements. And while I typically would encourage you to showcase your personality through design, when it comes to your resume, you’ll want to lean towards a more minimalist look. I’d recommend capping your resume to three colors—black, white, and something of choice. This is only if you absolutely feel the need to show color, your resume will stand out without color too. You can, and should, explore some of the templates that Microsoft word or Google offer.
About the Author
Syama Meagher is the Chief Retail Strategist at Scaling Retail. They have launched brands around the world, through a combination of expert advice and creative marketing strategy. Scaling Retail believes in the power of hard work to grow and build your businesses. Discover Scaling Retail at ScalingRetail.com.
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Four Steps to Crafting the Perfect Job Description for Your Resume
Stop stressing over the bullet points.
As the number of applicants per corporate job opening rises, it’s important that your resume is effective at articulating your accomplishments and what you can bring to the table. This means creating an accomplishment-based resume instead of a responsibility-based resume and creating a document that is completely unique to you. When you’re trying to craft the perfect job description on your resume, it’s essential that you highlight what you’ve achieved instead of simply stating that you hold a certain skill.
Your resume is your chance to highlight what you bring to the table and why a potential employer should hire you, but if the job descriptions you include don’t do you justice, your resume simply won’t be effective at meeting your needs. This makes writing a resume sound intimidating; however, I’m showing you exactly how to craft the perfect job description on your resume!
Gather the Basics
When you’re going to craft the perfect job description on your resume, you have to start with the basics. The easiest way to do this is to start with the job description that you were given at work. Ideally, you’ll have the job description you were given by HR, (you should always keep this kind of information for future use) but if not, find a similar job description online that closely resembles your own.
Build Upon What You Have
Take the basic job description and add in other duties that you’ve taken on that go above and beyond what you’re required to do, or if your role has just evolved over time.
If you are technically ad administrative assistant, but you handle company social media accounts and oversee client engagement, that is something you’ll absolutely want to note in your job description. Any time you’re taking on responsibilities above and beyond what you were hired to do, it’s important to articulate them. Show that you’re not just resting on your laurels and that you’re willing to take the initiative to get things done.
Make a List of Your Accomplishments
Anyone can claim that they are a great employee, but very few people can actually show it. Don’t sell yourself short on your resume, and show potential employers all of your accomplishments and achievements. Provide evidence to your claims so that they can see exactly what you can bring to the table and how you will be beneficial if hired.
Ask yourself the following questions:
Have you increased sales?
Have you been recognized for your success?
Have you implemented process improvements or cost-cutting techniques?
Whatever you have done to improve your company and/or department, you want to show it on your resume.
The more numbers and specific metrics you can include, the better! Don’t be afraid to calculate numbers from your own data. As long as you can prove your calculations, you can use them on your resume.
Use the Job Description that You’re Applying for
When you’re trying to craft the perfect job description on your resume, use the job you’re applying to so you can integrate keywords and phrases to customize your resume to meet the exact position you’re interested in. When you’re trying to customize your resume to meet a job you’re applying to, the key is to highlight all of the skills and qualifications that the desired job description holds, and downplay unnecessary information.
For example, if you held the title of client relationship manager and did everything from sales to client onboarding, to office management and administrative tasks, but you’re applying for an administrative assistant, you’ll want to highlight the office management and client facing communication, and you’ll most likely want to downplay the sales aspects of your previous role.
This does not mean that you should ever “dumb down” your resume. It’s always great to highlight that you’re smart, strong, and capable, however, when you’re trying to customize your resume to apply for a specific job, you need to highlight the requirements of the given job description and show your potential employer why you will be a great fit.
Writing a great resume isn’t just about how aesthetically pleasing it is. If you have a beautiful resume that doesn’t articulate your strengths, you won’t get the traction that you’re looking for. Craft the perfect job description on your resume that highlights what you’ve accomplished and why you’re a valuable asset.
A native San Franciscan, Michele Lando is a Certified Professional Resume Writer and founder of writestylesonline.com. She has a passion for helping others present the best version of themselves, both on paper and in person, and works to polish individuals' application package and personal style. Aiming to help create a perfect personal branding package, Write Styles presents tips to enhance your resume, style, and boost your confidence.
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Why You Should Be Wary of Online Resume Templates
There’s more to your resume than design.
As a certified professional resume writer, I stay on top of current trends in hiring patterns and resume writing. A lot of people reach out to me asking for flashy resumes that they’ve seen on Pinterest; however, the truth is, a flashy resume won’t get you the job. A lot of the templates online don’t include the information needed on a resume, so today we’re talking about why you should be wary of those templates. Regardless of how pretty your resume is, if the content isn’t there, the pretty resume won’t do you any good.
The truth about a lot of the flashy resume templates online
First of all, it’s important to note that most of the resume templates you see online are created by designers who have no background in resume writing, recruiting, or hiring. They are coming from a completely visual background. A lot of the resume templates circulating the internet right now are minimalistic, eye-catching, and look more like a work of art than a resume—because many have no real information on them. These templates don’t often offer the space needed for the right information about you, your experience, and your skill set.
Infographics are another popular style of resume known for their attractive nature. While they may appear to hold a lot of information, I have yet to see an infographic resume that actually contains the necessary information needed on a resume. Additionally, many recruiters agree that infographic resumes rarely work when applying for corporate jobs as they don’t pass through applicant tracking systems.
What kind of resume will help your job search?
A resume alone will not get you a job. A resume is tool that will help you get an interview. Your resume, interview, personal brand, connections, and a lot of other factors will help you get a job. Hiring doesn’t come down to your resume alone.
To create an effective resume that will help you in your job search, you should make sure your document meets the following requirements:
It highlights your value and gives concrete metrics and achievements to show what you’ve done
It is accomplishment-based, not responsibility-based
It is free from spelling and punctuation errors
It is aesthetically pleasing and easy to read
When you’re trying to create an effective resume to help you land your dream job, it’s important to keep in mind that a great resume contains information that highlights your value. An online resume template or a flashy resume with no information won’t get you the job. Resumes that are focused on visual appearance rarely have the right information that recruiters and hiring managers are looking for. Resume templates are often created by graphic designers who focus on creating a document that is visually appealing, not on creating an effective resume to meet your needs. Instead of using an online resume template, use the visual aspect for inspiration to create a document for yourself, or reach out to a certified professional resume writer for help!
Written by Michele Lando, Certified Professional Resume Writer
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How to Craft a Resume That's Full of Flavor
Taste is temporary. Flavor is forever.
In the last fifty years the way we do business has evolved exponentially. One, the Internet: we work on-the-go and on planes, from the back of our Ubers and on Sundays. Traditional work hours have become a relic of the past. There is no office normcore. Nor do we want their to be.
Yet despite the changes we’ve seen-- even in the last ten years alone-- there is one antique that keeps hangin’ on: THE RESUME.
If business has changed, why hasn’t the resume?
So, we asked Bai, the better-for-you beverage company that believes “taste is temporary, flavor is forever,” how to create a resume that's full of forever flavor. Flavor is the promise to not be dull. And let’s be real: when you’re sending your resume to a company that receives hundreds of applicants, you need to stand out to gain the competitive edge.
In short: you need to ditch the dull. Here’s how to make yours a forever resume with these 6 tips from Bai.
1. KEEP IT ONE PAGE.
You’ve had a lot of jobs, but your career resume is different than what you cobbled together to land your first job. Internships or summer jobs you held in college, those can go. Bulk is not better in the case of your resume.
“Bulk is not better in the case of your resume.”
Tweet this.
Listing jobs that are not directly related to the position you’re applying for is fine, but you don’t need to laundry list Every. Single. Position. you’ve ever had. Edit your resume so that it’s ONE PAGE ONLY and highlights your best work.
2. DEVELOP YOUR POINT OF DIFFERENTIATION, BUILD OUT YOUR STRATEGY FROM THERE.
Speaking of your best work, have you ever sat down and asked yourself what you want your resume to accomplish? WE KNOW! A job, that much is a given, but beyond a job. What do you what your resume to communicate about you?
Most applicants don’t think of their resume in terms of strategy. They think that starts after they snag the position-- but that’s a dated way of thinking. To bring your resume into 2016, make sure that every line counts and that you can answer the ‘why’ as to why you’re including it.
3. USE KEYWORDS
Employers are optimizing across the board. Most Fortune 100 companies use something known as the Applicant Tracking System. Doesn’t sound sexy, but it’s critical to understand in the current job market. Even small companies who don’t have the bandwidth for hiring departments are relying on software that searches job-seeker databases for keywords related to the position they are a looking to fill. Skill-related nouns are one of the most searched keywords. Think: marketing campaigns and special events— i.e. nouns related to the skills the employer wants in a candidate. However, don’t front-load the top of your resume with a list of words. They should be integrated into your resume to show how you’ve best used that skill.
“Integrate keywords into your resume to optimize your chances of being seen.”
Tweet this.
4. NO MORE REFERENCES, INCLUDE SOCIAL MEDIA HANDLES AND LINKS
You know they are going to be looking, so make it easy and include your social handles at the top of your resume. They are equally as important (if not more) than your phone number. Companies want to see who you are, how you engage on social media, and yes, how many followers you have.
5. CALL-OUT BOXES
You see this on blog posts— call-outs of the most interesting quotes or content. There’s good reasoning behind it: it’s the most interesting. Also, it breaks up what you’re looking at. You don’t need to InDesign your resume, but bullet points and line breaks are so 1998. Really want to show that you have resume flavor? Call-out your strengths. If you grew a brand’s Instagram following from over the course of a year with social programming, highlight those numbers. Give them stats. Companies love stats. You know what they don’t like...
6. HEADSHOTS -- BE GONE
Research shows you have six seconds to snag a potential employer's interest. So you should use this opportunity for them to focus on your skills, not your new haircut. That’s why you’re including your social media handles.
A lot of people think that a photo is a great addition to a resume— adds a personal touch, but what it’s really adding is a distraction, and stealing precious seconds away from you accomplishments.