I miss the good ol' days of going into a business where you would like to work, asking for an application, filling it out, and handing it back in. Technology is good but it has become a burden. One person says you need this, another says you don't but you need that. It makes my head spin.
In my job search, there were SO MANY examples of technology making it harder to apply, it was ridiculous. There was one on-line application that took 3 hours to go through - it turned out to be a huge waste of time that I could have used to apply for other positions.
I hear that at some companies, AI scans resumes and chooses them by certain key words. I’m 56 and ready to once again get back into the work force. Times have changed for sure!
It's funny because that's a better way to get a basic read on a person than an algorithm screened system. Plus some people are great at people skills and weak at detail oriented task. Maybe their resume has typoes, but the moment they step in the doorway, they greet potential customers in a friendly, connecting manner.
@@bl8388 Agree 100%, companies and HR are lazy and want technology to do their job. If only you "bought" people like a commodity, it would almost work. But, we're not. The handshake tells me so much more than a piece of paper ... isn't that the point of an "interview"? Speaking of which, video interviews are too 2-demensonal and do not transfer chemistry. Almost useless, again used as a screening tool ...
Back in the late 90's early 2000's an IT professional could walk into an hour lunch interview, get the new job, a 5k raise and be back at the current job on time. This modern culture is Nonsense.
My C.V goes back to July 2000. I was a Manufacturing Operative for 8 years so when I apply for a Warehouse position I always use that as a relevant job that I am applying for.
When I got out of prison I decided to put my felony convictions on my resume so that I didn't waste time interviewing with companies for which that would be an automatic disqualification. You know what I learned from that? A lot of interviewers don't even read the resumes they solicit. I had several interviews, two of them quite long, for jobs where I eventually found out I couldn't be hired because I was an ex-offender. That wasted my time and the interviewer's time. The place that eventually hired me, and where I've been working for the past fifteen years, didn't ask for a resume.
What? Doing what they asked and sending a resume has consequences? I hope one of them is that they actually read it and not waste my time and their own when I've admitted I did something that may disqualify them. @@aaron6841
Of course they don't read them. I have been asked questions that were right there on it, but they never read it or had it with them. sick of waisting time and money I would ask them on phone, why do you want me. Most of the time I and others are just a space filler because they can't just interview the person they want.
From this video I learned the following: 1. The only thing outdated is the HR department 2. The CV must be written to cater to the equivalent of a toddler deciding to eat scrambled eggs or fries, who then decides for neither. 3. The experience of a person who has been working for more time than most of the recruiter's lifespan is less valuable than the recruiter's opinion. 4. Applying with a personalized CV sounds good on paper, it doesn't work when there are 600+ other applicants. A customized CV is not even ATS-compliant and it will be buried, no matter how well it is written. I tested it multiple times. 5. What is the second-best written resume costs $1800. Thanks.
😂😂😂exactly. I’d work for/with you anyday💯🫡. I mean look at boeing-they are doing the “race to the bottom” paying and doing the bare minimum while asking for us to do the maximum 😂.
IT and woke bro culture. Real estate does have a memory longer thsn 10 years, and people actually read resumes. At least I did when they came in, after the first filter (duration/companies/industry). If anyone gets discouraged from above, for similar roles, I've had 3 people apply and 75. I went with the candidate I liked the best from the interview (seemed coachable, hard working, intelligent).
HR is overhead cost. Offers great opportunities for automation. In the new economy that is coming, there will always be an opportunity to propose that for cost cutting and efficiency.
I have come to the conclusion that if you watch 10-15 different experts on resumes, you will get 10-15 disparate ideas on what to include/exclude in a resume. I've made a complete circle following advisors who invariable think IT type careers are the center of their universe and rarely think outside a handful of career areas. Biotech skillsets are relevant for MUCH longer than 10 years!
This irritates me too. I'm an online ESL tutor & an IT service desk dispatcher. What I learned 25 yrs ago teaching in classrooms & during my customer service training/experience on shop floors, was vital to me landing my remote jobs. That's how my skills developed & that info will be relevant & requested well into the future. I think that each field of employment & even the different positions within particular fields need their own application strategy, & these will differ vastly from each other.
IT skills of 15 years old does also put something to play. Like python programming is 32+ old and still evolving and highly sought out. So the core finding is, if you have extreme skill n experience in something it is actually good
@@AsifSaifuddinAuvipy Plus- the longer you have done something, the more experience you have at TEACHING things. Teaching young workers is a skill in and of itself and the more you do it, the better you get at it. I've been taught some things by younger people who were totally incompetent as a trainer. I've mentioned basic concepts of treaching/training to people (such as Thorndike's Law of Transfer or the Dunning-Kruger Effect), and they didn't know what I was talking about.
"Biotech skillsets are relevant for MUCH longer than 10 years!" It depends on the degree of automation of the lab. Automated labs are advancing quite a bit, and may require programming or modern data analysis skills. Even cloning techniques have developed quite a bit over the years.
They aren't "tricks" or "mind games". It's marketing and selling. You're dealing with human beings not machines. They can't read minds, they don't know you from Adam. Put yourself in their shoes. You have hundreds maybe thousands of resumes to read, if yours doesn't stand out, why should they pick you? If they pass over you, that would be a shame because you might have been the ideal candidate...
People keep playing by the rules of the game played by the HR folks- who generally aren't the top shelf intellectuals of a company. They clearly are discriminatory of age and I'm surprised professionals like Don give into that toxic discrim-ination. What's next? Perhaps advising people change an ethnic or cultural name until everyone is named "John Smith" or "Jane Smith"? Experience transmits the ability of "learning how to learn" as well as not repeating the mistakes of the last person in the job.
I just realized this morning that I need to apply for jobs that I have some passion for. There’s things that I’m good at and that I like..but I really don’t want to do it long term. It’s like being in a new relationship with someone that is good enough for now…after awhile you’re trying to find your way out.
YOUR FULL STREET ADDRESS can be looked up on the internet to get the value of your home (even a photo of the front of your house on Google Street view) or how much you pay for your apartment. Nothing your new employer needs to know.
Drop the objective statement for direct application with employer. They already know the job you are applying for. Keep it for when you send resume to a recruiter and no specific job has been identified.
Not necessarily. What if you were sending your resume to a company that had several positions available, or hadn’t advertised about an open position - in effect, a cold call with your resume. In those instances, I absolutely would be putting in my objective. Another scenario…I’m a Professional Driver, but many trucking companies have long haul drivers, regional drivers (home every night) and then there is also driving a shunt truck (moving trailers in a yard all day long). Walmart would be a good example as they employ all 3 types of drivers.
Too many times I’ve received a resume where a person’s objective statement doesn’t match the position they’re applying for. It makes for an easy reject.
Ive been working as an engineer for 5 years and now my company wants me to make a resume and have a linked in account. Should I do this? I dont have a reseme nor LinkedIn.
So many companies are doing everything but actually hiring. They are building resume banks, helping HR look busy, doing due diligence for public tendering, keeping the market cap of the company up by pretending to grow, or if there actually is a real job opening, looking for THE cheapest candidate. Even the interviews seem to be a kind of pre-qualification, in case that role ever actually appeared.
I'm thinking if I should write a resume that says something like "We both know the chances of you reading this specific resume is pretty slim. IF you do, here is a QR code to my work portfolio, which I hope will prove more of my skillset than this piece of paper can do. Otherwise, I really look forward to hearing from you, I am clean, diligent and only bite people the first tuesday of every third month, IF I happen to be really angry that day. Thank you for listening."
Putting your full address on a resume just seems like a security risk. Already when you're looking for work, it's a great idea to freeze your credit. So if you can help it, minimizing your personal info reduces your risk profile.
I have some questions: 1. I’ve been rejected from about 50 interviews. (In the last one they found the excuse that I could have given more examples. There must have been 20 to 30 perfectly given interviews with no feedback at all. The feedback I got from a lot of them is that they went for another candidate). 2. Before the pandemic it only took around 4 interviews to secure a new role 3. I went to a top business school and have half a decade of experience working for blue chip companies 4. *I’ve been given the advice by some corporate operatives that I could still somehow secure a role at a top company even if I’ve been unemployed for half a dozen years* *Is it discrimination? Is it bias because there is money involved? I would just like to know what is going on as I’m being forced to retire early abroad/take a career break in the summer*..
Great point; I considered just putting my city and state, so at least the employer would know I was a local (if the job opportunity was not a remote one).
Objective statement is definitely outdated. My objective is to get hired for the job I am applying for. They know what kind of position I'm looking for. No need to waste space on the resume saying it.
Exactly, this "where do you see yourself in (5, 10, 20) years" is so 1980's, when today people typically change jobs every 3-5 years, mainly because employers don't do a thing to get you where you wanted to be in those (5, 10, 20) years.
I have some questions: 1. I’ve been rejected from about 50 interviews. (In the last one they found the excuse that I could have given more examples. There must have been 20 to 30 perfectly given interviews with no feedback at all. The feedback I got from a lot of them is that they went for another candidate). 2. Before the pandemic it only took around 4 interviews to secure a new role 3. I went to a top business school and have half a decade of experience working for blue chip companies 4. *I’ve been given the advice by some corporate operatives that I could still somehow secure a role at a top company even if I’ve been unemployed for half a dozen years* *Is it discrimination? Is it bias because there is money involved? I would just like to know what is going on as I’m being forced to retire early abroad/take a career break in the summer*..
1 - Stating the full address. Not necessary. Nobody writes letters anymore. Just mentioned country and city. These are relevant if relocation is required. 2 - Objective statement. It has to be more long term and general of how you can fulfill your dreams and achieve a good work-life balance. Obviously, you won’t express that you want to be a data analyst if the post is for salesperson. 3 - Especially, for those with a long work experience, summarize to the minimum description focusing on one or two experiences that could be relevant to the position you are applying for. 4 - If replying to a post, use the verbs that are in the job description. Mimicking the tone and statements in the post. 5 - In case of international positions overseas keep in consideration that running background checks is a normal practice. That statement might be necessary. 6 - CVs are screened by dedicated SW (now with the help of AI) which can already extract what’s relevant for the recruiter. A CV’s main objective is to get past that SW screening.
I am retired now, but when I applied for a post-military job, I sent in the usual two page resume. They kicked it back and told me they basically just scan the resume and do a keyword search if they need to. They told me the more detailed the better. They wanted education going back to high school including any certifications and special courses. They also wanted a detailed work history going back to high school graduation. I ended up with a 24 page resume. It was a technical job offshore. I did get the job. My personal default font is not Arial or Times New Roman, but 12 pt. Century Schoolbook. For extended reading, I find both of the latter to be less fatiguing than both of the former.
Yes, that is why you need to make your Resume look good to the human eye and as well having the right key words for the computer to pick it out to be seen by a human.
Excellent point. Not all companies and positions want the usual 2 page concise resume. Some resumes are too concise and don’t say much about the candidate. Ideally, functional resumes are best, but most companies want chronological resumes.
Good points. If I ever retire and then look for a job in the private-sector, my resume may be just as long. I have experiences in automotive engineering, military engineering, accounting and finance, and administrative engineering. I wouldn't care if I were a paper-pusher or a truck driver.
For certain licensed professions you need to list everything from the day after you graduated from the university, even more than 20 years after graduation. Even though some hospitals I have worked at no longer exist I am still expected to list them.
This guy really has some of the most sound information and guidance I have heard in weeks when it comes to resumes and targeting the field you have chosen to be considered for
I was a computer contractor for 15 years and as such was constantly looking for my next gig at head hunters. I have heard both sides of the employment detail argument. Different headhunters looking at my same resume, one would say I had too much detail and another would say I had too little. Same with how far back to go. I like to keep my resume to max 2 pages. I have had head hunters complain I went back too far and others not far enough, same resume. You can't win.
I disagree with the video on that given the example of IT. Many times companies do have outdated software and hardware that the "new" employees don't know and they need someone who does know them. It depends on the job and the field whether or not to go past 10 years of experience. I would say keep it to one page. When people look at them, they may have a couple of resumes laid out together to decide who to offer and they will only be seeing the first page. Any other detail can be asked for in the interview. The resume just gets you the interview and should focus on that.
@@jeradw7420 I agree with you completely. but in this day and age that may be risky. Some employers these days use software to perform the first pass against resumes looking for certain words. If they aren't there you are rejected before your resume even sees a pair of human eyes.
@@johncasey5594 A lot of places now have you fill out an online application and you attach your resume to that. Chances are the bot does it's filtering on the app rather than scanning your resume. I think the days of your resume being the only thing employers look at are gone. Resumes themselves aren't even asked for on some of the apps I have seen.
Great video, Don! Further thoughts: 1) Arial is a VERY dated font. Don't use it. Calibri is more up to date and very readable. Avoid fancy fonts. 2) As for resume keywords, use those found in the job advertisement itself. The resume harvesting software will pluck that resume out. The recruiter may also be drawn closer to your resume than others. For example, if the advertisement reads, "Banking IT specialist" make sure that phrase appears under your Skills section. Everything else sounds great. I learned a lot. Thanks!!
@@jessedevlin9489 "Dated" may not be the best choice of words. I stand corrected. Instead, the Arial font has been around a long time and with the availability of more creative fonts, it's better to choose one of those. As for the Comic Sans MS font for resume, you'll find most HR recruiters discourage the use of this font because it's too informal and may lead the HR person to not take you seriously. One exception may be if you were applying for a job as a cartoonist.
@@Daniellelebelle412 Hi Danielle. TNR is also considered dated. It was the original font used on typewriters. As Jesse hinted, "dated" is kind of an ambiguous term. The key is to seek out fonts that are more attractive for use on modern devices and that match the document type. The trick is is to pick a font that provides 45 to 90 characters per inch (CPL), including spaces. Doing so gives the readers' eyes adequate rest time between lines. Fonts are a huge study on their own.
I have revamped my resume on average of 30 times based on different feedback from different people, professional resume writers, recruiters, leaders, etc. I thought it was convienient to apply online but realized it is actually very complicated based on the ATS system used. Also, HR software from companies like Workday that most Fortune 500 companies use, is not transparent , and I get a very quick automated rejection response or no response at all. I have applied for thousands of jobs tailoring my resume to each one to increase my chances of getting an interview. I have come to the conclusion that it depends on who is writing the algorithm and the criteria they select. However, I continue to remain positive and apply hoping I get the right opportunity. Even though you may feel as if you are in the Matrix, don't give up and continue to refine your resume. Good luck!
If a recruiter/hiring manager cannot take the time to read a one page summary of older experiences, then it's likely they're not going to invest a lot of interest in you anyways, so why would you work for someone like that? Years of work experience means something, especially to the individual who earned them, if it means nothing to a company, then it's likely that company won't be that interested in you, even if they hire you.
Seems simple to the folks with experience looking for a job, but apparently recruiters think experience is a BAD thing. Knowing how to grow is important- mature trees that bear fruit (profitability) don't just plop down out of the sky!
The weird thing is, I find different recruiters want different things off of your resume. If you were psychic and could read their mind for what they are looking for, you'd have a 1,000 different versions of THIS YEARS resume. If you are looking for the best over all effect and are playing the averages..most of the advice in this video is fine. I use to think that the more you have on your resume the better. But what I am starting to notice, is that when recruiters do interviews with me, they have barely even looked at my resume. And I end up having to go through my resume with them, anyway. You'd be amazed how often they DO ask for older skills. I get the idea that sometimes, even if a skill is now useless, they think your experience with it means that you will actually be better handling skills that are more contemporary. Its a kind of soft skill thing.
The idea of no longer adding your home address on your resume is great, that should be saved when you filling out the application for the job. Adding your LinkedIn profile or any profile that you are associated with that industry as a contributor.
Resumes can depend on your environment. For me 3 things up front, on top. 1. Security Clearance, 2. Certifications, 3. Education. If you don't meet the requirements of the above, nothing else matters.
If the recruiter wants you, it doesn't matter how long or short your resume is. Include what you think is really important and hopefully the right recruiter will ACTUALLY read it...
@@nakiawashington7520 By going back only ten years, you can make that less of a problem. Many automated systems require (as in, a blank will prevent you from completing the form) college graduation dates. This definitely indicates a minimum age (who graduates from college aged 12 or younger?).
Exactly, your point reminds of some resume advice I got from an IT recruiter who told me to remove my high school start and graduation dates off of my resume! However, some digital job boards require this info in your job history disclosed on your profile, in addition to your resume.
There is so much same advice out there about not putting whole work history out there, but companies habitually nitpick and grill on work details and chronology. Selective/related job listings will create gaps which will get you out of consideration immediately and cast a shadow on you. job hunting is a demeaning process because it is a sleazy corrupt system. It is solely based on conjecture and not the real talent.
I thought only the gaps on job applications were suspect, not on a resume; simply because for instance: I have two resumes, each in a different field, and most of the work listed on either one, was not being done simultaneously.
I stopped using an objective statement many years ago. I figured at the time that my object was pretty clear when I applied for a position with a company - that particular job or something like it. I think by putting an objective statement on your resume, you are in effect limiting what that recruiter or hiring manager can envision selecting you for if you are not the best candidate for that particular position you applied for. They might think, "Ok, you weren't the best candidate for that job but your objective statement does not align with this other position we have available." And you might very well have been a good fit there and the best candidate but you'll never know. Also, quite honestly when objective statements are typically used, they are lame boilerplate verbiage and a waste of some valuable real estate on your resume that would be better used. I typically cringe when I read other's objective statements.
They can be useful to subtly add information or context to your resume. For example, if you have a bunch of foreign degrees, you might want something in you object to say that you are returning to the US after studying abroad -- so they don't think you are a non-US citizen. If you are switching careers, returning to work after raising children (without getting too personal), that might soften the fact you are older and applying for a junior position.
Excellent points and as someone with 27 years of IT experience, I have made it a point to regularly purge legacy technologies that no longer exist from my CV.
I ended up leaving my college off my resume because I found employers didn’t want to pay me what I was worth, so instead I listed my CED/CPR/Basic First Aid cert and my OSHA 10 training cuz employers really dig a candidate that would know what to do in case of a workplace emergency.
That’s interesting. I was in charge of our First Aid team and we saved a life doing CPR until ambulance arrived. I figure it was the most important few minutes of my work life.
I would only disagree with paying $800+ for a two page resume. I've seen them and it's also a template. The price does not mean it's going to be the best out there, much less targeted to the job description. I would say $60 is an affordable price for a two page resume. But more importantly, it's the quality and the reviews that you should "pay" close attention to. And if you were getting $1,800 per resume, you would still be doing it.
This guy is right,but in reality,I found that I have to apply to any kind of job that I think I can do.I have bills to pay and I want to eat everyday.Another very important point to mention here,I was turned down for jobs I have the most experience in and matches my resume exactly.I have been turned down for jobs I went to school and got a degree in.The majority of the jobs I get are jobs I have the least experience in,not to mention,jobs I least like or desire.
Just like the old adage says, "It is better to have any job, rather than no job", with exceptions of course! For instance, I refuse to work around secondhand smoke! What say you?🙂
I agree to get rid of the objective statement. The objective is very clear - demonstrate that you have the qualifications and are the right fit for the position. That’s what the work history, portfolio and interviews show.
I thought cover letters were an outdated concept…when I attended my military retirement workshop in 2014, the presenters told us that cover letters were passé; if a company requires one, reconsider applying, as that company is living in the past. We’re also told to, generally, limit resumes to 2 pages, unless it is is for a federal job; then up to 5 pages is alright.
Resumes tossed in the circular file without an introduction letter. Detailed multiple page resumes also tossed, busy people don't have the time. Make it hard hitting single page. Government workers not the best (low productivity, low motivation, politics, lower pay, rank and file come in at 8 and get the hell out at 5) was one of them and decided no thanks. Look no further than DMV, IRS, Permit Department and so on, secured jobs and they don't care about you.
Getting a professional resume down to a single page is totally dumbing the whole process down and is ridiculous advice. Two pages had been the standard for anyone who has any real quality experience/education whatsoever. If the hiring manager has that much of a problem with attention deficit disorder, they will be bad to work for.
I hear far more often from all types of people involved in hiring: cover letters are passé, obsolete, don't waste your time! The email you attach your resume to should serve that purpose, but even better, whatever point you'd be making in you "cover letter" can be made better in the front page of your resume, "above the fold" as it were. Yes there are differences of opinion. Some managers may toss any resume not having a cover letter, but those managers are fools. I don't work for companies that hire fools.
@@cuivre2004 I agree, how do you communicate you have experience if you can't list projects and work done on those projects. Its not as if many of these employers read your resume anyway and require you to read it for them on the interview. I think 2 pages is reasonable if you have numerous projects under your belt to back up the experience and skills.
I've always felt the main reason to not list your address is because: 1. You don't want to share that over the Internet. 2. The employer can see how far your commute will be. If they think you live too far away they'll likely toss your resume. 3. If you get hired they'll eventually need it from you anyway.
Sad but true - some folks will Zillow your address and judge how you live to determine what “type” of person you are. I know a lot of people who do this.
@@seanchambers2672 That too. Another thing to consider is that at the end of the day your new employer are complete strangers; you do not know them. There was once an incident where a manager retailiated against one of his employees and dumped oiled pennies on the employee's driveway. While it is unlikely your boss would do something crazy like that, you never know with people. This is why I say get a small PO Box and share that with your employer.
@@jackcarraway4707 A thing to consider is that there are "good" addresses and "bad" addresses. People do not discuss this openly but there are little or no real protections against class discrimination on the basis of an address being in a down market area and one being in an upmarket area. This is a world wide phenomenon despite strident claims by mainstream media that it no longer applies. Also ones past educational history can have a bearing on a job application.
Challenging example: You're older and were forced 12 years ago to take a job well beneath your education and experience because your age kept getting in the way (your industry is especially ageist), and it was all taking too long. Anyway, your best experience was over 20 years ago and currently only as a freelancer. What to do?
@@sexygeek8996 Omitting dates is a red flag to employers. Being honest is best, just don't draw unnecessary attention to it. The interview is a good stage to explain this in a personable, conversational manner so that nothing is left to their uninformed interpretation.
@@PresKen3920 It may be a red flag, but including all the dates would reveal that I am much older than what most companies are looking for, so I probably won't get an interview at all. The best outcome would be if a company sent me a letter telling me that I am rejected for being too old. The lawsuit could be worth several years' salary.
1) List your experience in order from most to least relevant. 2) Find aspects of the lesser job(s) that emphasized your skills and speak to those. I have to think you used some of your skills even at a lesser job, or were able to use them to make improvements. 3) Don't say the industry is ageist or that you feel you were discriminated against. Don't even bring it up. If asked, say you took those jobs thinking there would be more opportunity than there ended up being, or that your past decisions were made for family reasons. If not asked, don't go there, simply say you've come to realize you really want to focus on . Emphasize how you've reflected on the past and have a solid vision for the future.
Objective statement is not necessary because big company HR doesn't care what candidate looking for. Independent recruiters can work differently but big companies are just matching keywords between resumes and position description provided by company.
Try to line up practice interviews with jobs you DON’T want. Not only will it help to perfect your interview technique so that you ace the interview for the job you really want … but it’s also very empowering to feel more needed than you need them.
Yes, but aren't you then just wasting the time of the hiring manager and the company you are fooling into believing you actually want to work there? I'm not sure if it's ethical to practice your interview techniques on someone else's dime.
When you are unemployed/underemployed, you lack the "mental health" to be able to do this, let alone actually have the luxury OF said practice interviews/practice jobs.
I love that you're addressing the mistakes teachers often make when transitioning to different careers. It's essential to approach the job search with a fresh mindset and avoid falling into these traps. Thank you for the helpful advice!
I follow Erica on social media and she actually clarified why the objective statement is outdated. It takes up space, and should be replaced with a candidate summary statement highlighting accomplishments. If you're a recruiter, what would you rather read? Option 1: I am seeking a job as an IT specialist in the healthcare industry. Option 2: Award-winning IT specialist with 20 years of experience in the healthcare industry. Worked with Fortune 500 companies to fix bottlenecks and save 2% annual budget from department line item. Option 2 is clearly the superior option.
When I was hiring for a couple of positions on my development team, I read a number of (shortlisted) resumes. I would rather read your option 1, what they are looking for. Your option 2 is (to me) just bragging and/or trying to make themselves sound better than they are. I want to know what position they are looking for. Their accomplishments belong further down, together with their job history or list of skills and accomplishments.
The term Objective Statement IS outdated. You still need it, but it should just be called SUMMARY. Your Summary is the ONLY place where you can state your position, your total years of experience, and how and why you are good at what you do. Without a Summary, your resume is just a facts and numerical figures document.
I've been putting my pager number, fax number, my AOL email, MySpace page and ALWAYS list my 10 key, Windows 95-2000 and word processor skills on my resume. And yes. I use the professional light blue resume paper.
As a hiring manager, I agree with all of that recruiter's suggestions, with one caveat. The objective statement may be necessary when you're A) trying to change jobs - and by that I mean your experience is primarily in one area but you want to shift and/or explore another area, or B) are targeting a specific company. The content of the resume should indicate what your skills are and therefore whether you will be right for the position at hand. I keep a high-level resume on LinkedIn, but otherwise I tailor my resume to a company that I want to work for and only include what's relevant to their needs, and that will sometimes include an objective statement incorporating that company's mission and values. The problem in my area is that few companies directly hire IT, most go through consulting or headhunting firms. Those firms do not tell the recruits who the company is or even what the position is (beyond title) until the company already looked at the resume and agreed to schedule an interview. So you either have to use keywords hoping for a hit, have a really good rep who understands you, or finesse an objective statement to pique the interest of the company you want.
For older workers especially, make sure to note transferable skills. Simply because it’s a different industry does t mean your skills cannot transfer, learning a product or service is just an educational task and if you have the skills to then act with you would be a fit.
No personal info like address or phone - just email - because your resume can fall into the wrong hands. Resume can be the beginning of someone stealing your identity, if it contains too much personal info.
Totally agree. Particularly with all the systems every employer wants you to enter your data into. It's disturbing. You have no idea if they are even the actual employer or how well they keep the data private.
After I graduated from college, I included that I was fluent in speaking Japanese, and could read and write passably well. I was getting NO replies to this resume, until I took that line OFF my resume. Then I got 3 interviews in a month, and 2 job offers. Conclusion = don't include a capability that would make you more likely to be promoted above the person that hires you. In fact, even after I was hired, that capability just never seemed to come up in my conversations with co-workers.
@@vwright4792, Paul is right. I have a killer resume based on military and civilian education along with a lot of experience in both sectors, where management is concerned. I had to dumb it way down just to get an interview because I was more qualified for the job than most of their administrators.
Yeah I'm half Chinese and I don't get calls unless I use my English middle name. I used to also have on my resume that I speak Chinese and Spanish, both considered undesirable languages cause it means I might have an accent.
It heavily depends on what type of job. A waitress in her early 20s can have one page, a biochemical engineer after 30 years of career and with 5 patents to his/her name is probably gonna have multiple pages worth of very important stuff. The problem is when HR person is giving advices for both of them at the same time.
Exactly. If the recruiter takes the time to read the resume they will see more skills and a more complete body of work. So, the short concise resume isn’t always best.
The more experienced you are the longer your resume will be. They know that and expect it. If you are a kid out of high school or college, then of course your resume will only be one page... because you have little to no experience.
I"ve had similar experience. I routinely use a three page resume, sometimes slopping over to four. I've asked recruiters - they like longer resumes, since there are more skills, experiences, accomplishment and prestigious employers to use looking for a match. When a client is found, you and the recruiter can craft a shorter focused resume. I've sent recruiters resumes with as many as 6 or 7 pages, and within a few months found a great job, was hired and life is good.
Yeah the advice for engineering students on the forums is "oNe pAGe OnLy!!" but that's BS in my opinion. It's impossible to convey any sense of a career (even a fledgeling one) on one page
I paid absolutely nothing and the elderly gentleman who helped me rewrite my resume did an excellent job of condensing the info, rewording the sentences to make it sound more professional, and got the information from several jobs and plus the education I had and was continuing all on 1 page.
Ancient IT skills - There's a LOT of them I stopped listing a long time ago. But there are a surprising amount of very old systems that are still in production. Those systems have to coexist with modern tech, so if you know both, that can be the purple duck someone desperately needs. But I've never admitting knowing COBOL, for I don't want to have to code in COBOL. :)
I recall 2 or 3 years ago a college in Ireland offering courses in COBOL which I found amusing considering the language is at least 65 years old. I found out that many essential banking systems still run COBOL and have not been changed in decades. Modern systems are judged too vulnerable to hacking or crashing to consider for use by mission critical systems handling peoples money.
I find resumes so interesting, as an Employment Counsellor that is the part I like the most - how do I market this person, how do I showcase their skills. Every resume is a puzzle, every Employment Opportunity is a new puzzle on how to target their skills on their resume. Keep in mind this is the North American way, many of my clients are newcomers and the way they apply for jobs is very different. It's really important to adapt your resume to the style of the country you are working in. Very cool stuff. I love Don's video's, he is very direct and informative.
"References Upon Request!" 😂😅 I don't think most of my former employers have checked most or all of my jobs listed on my resume, ever!! They might call 2 or 3 places. I don't mess with Linkelnd.
Re: not automatically adding the references; because if you are shooting for just one 1 page, that contact information will take up space that will probably be of better use. With that said, I also think "References Upon Request" is the best modus operandi for the most succinct resume! Cancel Reply
@@SATXbassplayer The salmon method of survival, have millions of spawned eggs and hope that a few survive to adulthood. I recall sending out flyers for gigs in a music slot I was trying to fill. I was dissappointed to get 4 replies out of 60 applications. Later I was told by a marketing person that getting even 1 in a 1000 replies is considered successful in a targetted campaign depending on the sector or the method of selecting the audience for the flyers. I am not a marketing expert but my father in his time was very good at ferreting out leads and keeping a network of informants in the building trade in our town so that he would know when new houses were being built and new customers would be looking for deliveries, he was in the milk delivery business. He always had his eyes open for details such as for sale signs, new cars in the driveways etc so as to be able to call on houses and pick up potential new business on the way. His motto was to get his offer in first and not take a refusal as a failure or a personal slight. You keep trying and sometimes you will succeed.
Don, thank you so much for this succinct and insightful video! I am an employment skills/ job readiness trainer. I work with populations who have mostly labor and service industry experience. They do not have the knowledge of LinkedIn, and especially access to career advice or resume writers. 3 years ago I transitioned from the public school education industry and was searching for a position where I could maximize on my transferable skills. Somewhere along the way I came across talent development. I have enjoyed learning the content area and especially the instant gratification that comes with helping people to develop themselves! I am always scouring the internet for more content to add to my knowledge base. Great to see if actually learned some things, though I enjoy learning things and sharing them with my class participants - those things which I hadn't thought of as well. Thanks again.
Throughout my professional career I've submitted over 500 applications to companies since 2009, easily. I can't and will not support the notion that you need to tailor your resume to each and every position - this is 2022. You know what you're capable of as an employee, you know your abilities; and if the hiring manager uses a tool that incorrectly knocks out qualified applicants or can't correctly qualify on their own then you're probably best off not working under such management.
Reminds me of the story where a manager had a stack of resumes, cut it in half, tossed one half into the wastebasket, and explained to the others: we don't hire unlucky people! It works on our end too. We don't "hire" unlucky employers!
If anyone is paying someone else to write their resume, they're wasting their money. (And the amount mentioned here is downright predatory.) A resume is just a tool to get into a job interview. A strong resume should only take 2 or 3 hours to write, and you'll be able to write it better than anyone else could. Just make sure that you include the relevant details on the first page and that you have no (I mean zero) spelling, grammar, and formatting errors.
I agree with everything you said, except 2-3 hours. The resume has to sell and generate a compelling interest to interview. If it doesn’t then it’s failed (yes sometimes unavoidably). It should be a days worth of time, unless one is just customizing to a particular prospect.
Taylor your resume to match what the Job description is asking for. Show them that you have the specific skills they need. you may need to write a new version for each job application and keep track of what you sent where. You have 15 seconds to get their attention, before the recruiter goes to the next resume.
In relation to the number of jobs applied for, in Australia we HAVE to apply for a set number dictated by our job provider. If they say you have to apply for 15 a week, then you have to do that and upload the evidence to the portal. Failure to do so can see your benefit suspended or entirely withdrawn. Always check the facts and the local rules on this one.
I think detailing resumes is for the keyword software recruiters use to filter out applications. I've heard it increases your chances of being read if you have the right keyword/buzzwords that are relevant to the position.
I did that, even paid a resume expert for advice, and I went from 0% success with my previous resumes, to about 0% success with finely-tuned resumes. I think any job prospect starting off with activity involving a resume is doomed. Networking, Meetups, and work with recruiters at the higher-end firms.
I disagree with only sending out 2-3 resumes a week for jobs you really want. I believe finding a job is a numbers game. For every 100 resumes you send out, depending on the current job market you may get 2-3 responses and perhaps 1 interview. I have been an MS-Access/VBA developer for 30+ years. It is a dying art. I know for a fact there are only a hand full of people with my level of experience in Toronto, a city of 7 million. Yet I have applied for actual MS-Access positions that looked like they were created for me. I thought I'll at least get a response and more than likely an interview. Nope and nope. If your resume is not crafted properly, you may actually be rejected by an automated process before your resume is even seen by human eyes. You may lose out because of diversity requirements. So unless you want to be unemployed for years, paint your city with your resume.
Yes. Even when I had decades of experience, I found that 100 resumes might get me 3 or 4 interviews. I was good enough at interviewing that most interviews resulted in a job offer. But I'm sure that many find that 5 interviews may result in 1 job offer.
It may be a numbers game, but you're fishing when you should be speargunning. Find the company you want, find out what they need, and do what you need to do to make that company see you as the solution. The people who read resumes are often not the hiring managers, so you have to make sure you speak to the job at hand and don't just send out 100 copies of the same resume. Sometimes recruiters use computer programs to compare your resume to their job post and look for how many words match, and only then does the hiring manager get a chance to evaluate it.
@@lisaleone2296 If you limit yourself to a handful of companies you "want" to work for, you are going to be unemployed a lot. I care not what company I work for, only that I am doing the work I love. I have mostly worked for banks and insurance companies, but I have equally enjoyed working for Maple Leaf Foods, Rogers Communication, Toyota, IBM, etc. You are right about the word match resume software. Its a real piss off.
In five years of me career, I applied for 7 jobs, got 6 interviews, and 5 offers. I only applied for one or two positions at the time I was looking for job. And I only applied for the one I wanted and I thought I am a good fit.
@@DonGeorgevich Thanks the job fell through because I missed Tuesday training session, because I did not sleep well, I been suffering from a frozen shoulder, and someone accidently bumped into my shoulder on the bus as the bus was crowded and the bus jerked , I was using a computer, but there was one minor red flag I needed a mobile to get access code each day to log into email system, and every time I was logged out, I don't own a mobile phone of my own, me and my Dad share a basic one, since I live at home with my parent because of my disability, I don't have a clue how to use one.
You only need an objective statement if you are sending your resume to general recruiters. Otherwise, you should be sending your resume to specific jobs and your objective is to get that job so you don't need to include it.
Times have changed the last time I did a resume. I say ask someone like a college recruiter or the EDD counselor to help you with a resume. Sometimes I got the job before summitting my resume, by a telephone call. It really is about who you know.
If you have the time and resources, I do recommend applying to jobs that may not be a perfect fit for two reasons: 1) It gets your name out there in case of future or alternative roles, 2) if you get selected for an interview, you can practice selling yourself. I used this technique to get through a few interviews for jobs I didn't even want, which really helped build my confidence and home my responses for when the right job interview rolls my way.
Great advice, Don. On a computer, if the font is too small, the reader can use the zoom feature. But agree that 11 is a good size. And look how big the screen is on your desk! 😉 Cheers
I read a lot of resumes as a hiring manager, and the advice I give everyone is to remember that the resume's only purpose it to get you to the interview stage. It is a brochure, not a biography.
One of the brilliant things about an objective statement is that it gives one a place to mention the target job and company. "A position centered around cleaning the floors for Microsoft." Anything that looks like you care helps you to stand out.
@@steve_weinrich how many times has it worked and how can you be sure it wasn't your experience & qualifications that got you the job not the objective statement? I don't think there's a way to know with certainty unless you have no qualifications or experience.
@@Scarface1337_ I used to teach a class in resume making. To be fair, I cannot prove that it works based on objective measures. But my students did seem to have a fairly good rate of success. As I said in my original comment, anything that makes one's resume stand out (in a good way) works in one's favor. Especially when a large number of people apply for a small number of jobs.
@@steve_weinrich Right, there's no objective way. There's likely better ways to stand out then essentially begging to work for a company imo. I'm the prize, the one bringing value to the enterprise. I'll stand out with my experience and qualifications and be able to negotiate for better pay etc based on the fact I give no signs of desperation for the position or company.
I got mocked by a friend who was reviewing my resume. He trashed me when he noticed I included my home address in the resume. It makes so much sense nowadays.
It would be interesting to find out your tips and hacks for someone who has owned and ran a successful business for over 25 years. Then sold it an is looking for work or a job to keep busy and finish off a successful career to 67.
As a business owner and employer, there are a few things I find important with CVs, and I want to point them out here to correct or clarify a few things from this video: 1. While your specific address is not important, it is important to indicate what part of the city you're living in, so the employer can see how far from your would-be work location you live. (For instance, I always prefer candidates who live near the work location since they stay much longer, and I automatically sort away anyone who lives beyond a certain distance. People who don't mention where they live may lose out on job opportunities.) 2. The work history should include ALL your previous employments (not only the ones that are relevant to the position you are applying for). That information is really important to me as an employer and I don't like seeing CVs that leave out big chunks of information in that respect. If you have 30 years of experience, by all means list it all if possible. If I don't want to see it all, I can myself decide to ignore whatever part I feel is not relevant for my purposes. (However, as Don says, there is no need need to detail specific job tasks under each employment.) 3. As for the verbs, use the verbs that most correctly describe what you actually did. If you only "helped" then by all means use that verb. Avoid "powerful verbs" if they exaggerate your importance or achievements. Employers don't like BS and exaggeration and we appreciate people who are down to earth and grounded and sincere about what they've actually done. (Example: A person who has worked as a waitress "helped" or "was responsible for" attending customers - she did not "streamline the customer service" and should not use such terminology to describe that work.)
I detest applying for a job that presents a job application that wants every job listed with start/end dates that want mm/dd/yyyy. Why more than a year or month and year? If they get this ridiculous, I won't go ahead and apply. Also, I have already explained in my resume what I have done at previous jobs, yet they want that written again on the application. That is so annoying! Why write a resume if they want it all again? I pass over many of these employers, too.
I don't even remember the months, much less the days. I would either omit the details or not bother applying. If they annoy you with such irrelevant details when you apply for the job then they will likely do the same when you are working there.
For Freelancers We jump from job to job and company to company.... If you only put relevant positions, you get a recruiter responding back "Why do you have a choppy or inconsistent work history" And I have had this kind of response.
Don - sometimes people NEED ANY JOB, PERIOD. Telling people to only apply to those that match their skills is condescending. Emergency Job Search is a reality.
Your Resume should look like an Advertisment or Brochure, with big bold fonts for the title of each position. The Resume should be vibrant in color, catching the eye, holding the viewers attention. Make it stand out from all the other 100 resumes that someone has to look through.
@@dcporlando Probably depends on how you apply the formatting; I'd assume just adjusting the font shouldn't be an issue, whereas changing the layout is more likely to be problematic?
I have found that has no effect in many cases because they read the data into a database and ignore the actual document. Everything is based on keyword searches at that point. This is unfortunate because the document shows that you know how to use Word, styles, various formating elements. I don't find people are reading these. Machines are.
I do not agree. Making it colorful and bold works if you are a trained graphics designer looking for a job in that area. For anyone else, unless you are really skilled in design, the risk is that you instead make it harder to read. There are rules about how many fonts/font sizes to use at the most, complementary colors (and color theory in general, like how people perceive different colors). If you try too hard, without having the skills to back it up, you will only make a fool of yourself.
