Does It All Come Down to the Resume?

I got a call from Hanah Cho the other day. Hanah covers workplace issues for the Baltimore Sun and she was wondering, what are really the most important things to know about a resume. Sure, there's a ridiculous amount of resume advice out there, including in my new book. But if I could only give you five pieces of advice?

1) Turn your resume into a sales document. Don't just list what you did at your old job--many candidates applying for the positions you're interested in will have the same experience you do. Instead, tell the reader not just what you did, but what the results were and how you did it better than anyone else. Your resume should make it clear why you should be called in for an interview instead of someone who has very similar experience.

2) Don't ignore format, but keep it simple. Most companies will scan your resume regardless of how you submit it and who it goes to. Left justify everything and use simple fonts--don't try to put dates on the left and your experience in the middle. When your resume is scanned in, it will be hard to read and a recruiter might ignore it.

3) Use a profile. Put a header at the top such as "Experienced Marketing Manager" and then 2-3 sentences below it that detail who you are, what you bring to the table and what you're looking for. Make sure you tailor this on every resume to the position you're applying for (and make sure the position is a good, solid fit with your experience).

4) Don't include every, single thing you have ever done. Your resume is a commercial for who you are. It should showcase the items that will matter most to the person reading it. You should include all jobs (unless completely irrelevant) but choose 3-4 bullets to highlight the most relevant experiences from that job. Again, tailor this every time to apply for a new position or send a resume.

5) Don't go over two pages. If you have more than five to seven years of work experience, you can go over one page. But if you do go to two pages, make sure you are experienced enough to warrant that second page.

Still wondering? Here's an example from my new book, The Right Job, Right Now of what a resume should be.