Resumes for Millennials...or anybody getting out there

I know there are a thousand “how to write a resumé” articles out there, so I’m going to assume you have read them and just add my thoughts.

First: Remember one very basic fact: Your resumé will be reviewed in under six seconds unless you catch the reviewer’s eye.

Second: The resumé you write and format and love and want to link to every job out there is not the resumé you should be sending. Job descriptions exist for a reason. The employer is looking for candidates that have the experience listed in the breakdown. If you’re seriously applying for a job, parallel your experience to the job description as much as possible.

Third: What is on the page is your personal commercial.

1: Have a hook. Make it short. Make your reader want to know who you are in one strong sentence.

2: Lead with your experience, not your education. You’re in the business world now. Where you went to school and how great you were at Lacrosse needs to be WAY down the page.

3: Write in declarative sentences and avoid long, boring, run-on sentences with clauses and a lot of big words that mean nothing substantial.

3: Make sure each element of your success is in YOUR voice. Phrasing and explanation can really set you apart from people who just list their job description or use long, boring, run-on sentences with clauses and…you get the picture.

4: Lead descriptions with things that benefit the company you work for, not just things you think make you look good. Things like "Exceeded annual sales goals of $83M”, and "surpassed over 20% sales growth in 3 years"' is a whole lot more impressive than “formulated supportive material to assist in managing…”

5: Write in parallel structure. It’s strong, direct and, easy to follow. And if you don’t know what parallel structure is, here’s a link. https://www.evergreen.edu/sites/default/files/writingcenter/handouts/grammar/parallel.pdf

6: Group all of your professional awards and recognitions in one place, not sprinkled all over the page.

7: Make sure you are “proficient in” or “an expert at” anything you list on your resumé as “proficient in” or “an expert at.” (Seriously, this is a BIG one.)

8: Realize that you will need to tailor a resumé for each opportunity. One size does not fit all.

9: Proper grammar, punctuation, and spelling are key. Nobody cares if you have an MBA if you can’t put a sentence together.

10: Make sure you have someone else read your resumé before you send it out. You may miss something. Don’t miss anything!

And if all else fails, email us and we’ll help. Seriously, we love to help.

For more info and tidbits of wisdom, visit us at www.daleyshift.com

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