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We all know an employer looks at a résumé for 30 seconds. Here are some surefire tips for standing out in the stack.
Do:
Write an appropriate objective statement (or omit it all together).
Most employers will not read on if the objective does not match the position that they are hiring for. For example, if a candidate were applying for a manager of network security position at a financial services company, an effective objective statement would look like this: "Objective: To find a leadership position that enables me to utilize my five years of experience as a lead network security engineer and technical project manager at a global investment bank."
Objective statements, however, are not a necessity. If a company has multiple positions that interest you, don't paint yourself into a corner.
Focus on the position you're applying for.
The résumé should be geared toward the requirements of the specific position. (It's OK to have different résumés
for different positions, but be careful about just changing the objective statement--it sometimes leads to a disjointed résumé.)
For example, if the candidate were looking for a position within an industry outside of banking, he would most likely omit the specific items geared exclusively towards financial services firms. In that case, the résumé should speak to his accomplishments in network security and project management, with industry independence.
Explain short stays of employment.
Short durations of employment are the predominant reason qualified people aren't considered for an opening. If you've changed positions frequently, you need to explain the reasons for leaving in one line at the end of the description. Some explanations read: "The position was eliminated," "Recruited by my previous manager," or "Offered a promotion."
Employers react in different ways--candor is the best approach.
Watch the length.
A résumé reflects both your experience and your ability to communicate. It should provide a road map for tracking your career and include all of your major accomplishments and responsibilities. Omit anything irrelevant to the current stage of your career.
For example, a person less than five years into their career would want to list a student job at the university computer lab. To someone with 25 years of experience, this type of a position would be inconsequential.
Here are some guidelines: The résumé should consist of two parts, a summary of career accomplishments (ranging from one to three pages) and a listing of technical skills, certifications, education and related activities (a half page to one page long). For every five years of work experience, you can add another page. The maximum number of pages you should have is four. As you progress in your career, eliminate specific accomplishments from the end of the résumé and replace them with new achievements.
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