Bulletproof Your Resume

Years ago I published a magazine and put out a call for resumes for writing positions. I was astounded at the results, as I had always taken a certain level of competency and care for granted wherein job seekers are concerned. I was very wrong.

Moreover, as I've come from the publications field, I can tell you what sort of things catches the eye and what makes people form paper airplanes out of your work. I'm into sharing by nature, so before you send off your resume for a job just to fill a daily quota you have made for yourself, stop and review.

---Is this a job I really want? We all see jobs that we think fit us perfectly, and writing the cover and resume for them is easy. Then there are the second-tier jobs...the fall-back jobs. We send out a resume to them because maybe, just maybe, someone will see our talent. The problem is that unless you really want the job, the odds are you will not tailor your resume to fit the requirements. Remember, it is a buyer's market, and your role as a job hunter is to sell yourself. If it's a job you'd settle for, you cannot possible sell yourself to the person doing the hiring.

Does this mean you shouldn't apply? Not necessarily. The fact is, you may not get your dream job just due to the competition or lack of experience. It may mean a change in mindset. Take a look at the job. It caught your eye for a reason. Then look at the company. Even if it is not your first choice, this may be the level you are at given your current qualifications. Look at the employer in terms of advancement and its ability to make things happen. Beyond the three-line want ad, you may find a company which would serve you well. Until you take the time to look and tailor your skills to their needs, you won't have a chance. You will sound like you are settling, and no one wants to hire someone who comes into the organization thinking they are too good for the job.

---Qualifying for the job. Again, many people take the scatter shot approach to job hunting, applying to anything that is somewhat near what they have been doing. Take a close look at the client's requirements. They should match your skills. The person has listed them because they are deal breakers. Don't apply to jobs, skirting the fact that you are missing key pieces of information. You'll be wasting your time as well as theirs.

---Spelling, Grammar and Typos. One of the main things recruiters and HR people hate is the resume that comes in riddled with errors, especially those a spell checker would have caught. In the pile of resumes I received as a publisher for people who wanted to write for my publication, more than one-third had significant spelling or grammar problems. A spelling error equaled an immediate trip to the trash can. Regardless of the person's credentials, that mistake broke the deal immediately. If you are this careless when you are auditioning for the job, odds are your behavior will only get worse once you think you have the job.

---Overall look. This encompasses many things.
-----One man sent me a resume with his name and address physically crossed out in pen. He wrote his new address beside the typed version. Again, trash can. It's a small thing, and it's a big thing. I wanted people who would worry about the little things that separate the mediocre from the great. This person was happy to settle.

-----Typeface and fonts. Stick with standard typefaces and fonts. Just as people skip online posts written in ALL CAPS, so will HR specialists who must deal with type that is difficult to read. Your job is to make life as easy as possible for the person who is reading your resume. I prefer a serif typeface; that is, one that has little "tails" attached to the letters. This is in comparison to something like Arial, a sans serif typeface. The only reason I favor this for a resume is that the little "tail" provides a bit of space between the letters and makes it easier to read.

---Bullet your information. Instead of writing paragraphs about your job duties, list a series of accomplishments which encompass the duties. For example, in my first job as a business manager, I discovered a billing error on a grant that more or less paid for my salary for almost two years.

---Make it easy. If you are including samples of your work, include them as readily accessible attachments. Do not direct the person to look at your Web site. They won't look. Generally, Word documents are the preferred mode of attachment.

---Don't lie. It will get you nowhere. You may get your foot in the door, but that "little fib" will catch up to you. Give you strongest qualities that match the employer's most important needs.