Resumes 101: Component Overview

When I wrote the "Decoding Job Descriptions" series, it occurred to me that the next one HAD to be about resume creation. There are so many styles of resumes out there and so many rules that go with them available to us with a mere internet search. But how do we streamline all the available advice out there into an easy guide that shows us the best way to write a compelling story about why we are the one for the job? It is my mission to provide that :)

Among the tons of advice: Functional vs Chronological vs combination resumes. One pagers if you have less than 3 years experience. Double pagers or more if you have more tenure and leadership experience. Rules about fonts, paper quality, page margins and the list goes on and on and on. But regardless the format or style you choose, successful resumes share certain key components: that's what this month's content is going to be all about.

Over the next few weeks, I am going to be reviewing what those successful components are in detail. But for now, I wanted to provide an overall snap shot of those components your resume should present:

Heads up!

Every Resume should start with a header. This most straight forward element of the resume located towards the top of the page. 2 or more pages? Your name, page number and a "Resume cont'd" will do.

Name: List your first and last name in a font that is a few sizes bigger than the standard size 10-12 fonts that resumes typically are written in. My suggestion? 14-18 will do.

Contact information: Having an active phone number and email is key. Listing your home address isn't "wrong" but you may want to limit that information to an official job application. My rules about numbers and emails are simple yet it is surprising how many people over look this:

• Active phones should have voicemail set up, and box messages should always be warm and professional should you miss a call for an employer. For tips on how to spruce up your VM check out my very first "It's those little things" post.

• Active email addresses should never be provocative nor controversial (no bigbooty21@whatever.com please). These types of names could be offensive to employers and its the opposite of the type of first impression we are going for! Creating an address that features your name is a safer bet. And like the VMs it is important to check your inbox for any subsequent correspondence about your application. For people concerned with potential ageism in the selection process, avoid any hints like your birth year in your email address.

Finally, do you have a LinkedIn or other website that portrays relevant contributions in your field? Insert your link and invite employers to do what they were planning to to do anyway, which is to look you up online. This type of invitation can strengthen your candidacy if you have a robust or active profile. It's the chance to display your track record or expertise in your given field.

Header example:

John Doe

⸙ Email:JohnDoe 93@ outlook.com ⸙ Phone:(xxx) xxx-xxxx ⸙www.johndoeartgalleries.com ⸙

Header suggestion for pages 2 or more:

John Doe

Page 2 Resume cont'd

I really hope this series helps to demystify the art of resume writing! Especially now since you are better able to figure out what information you need to present from the job descriptions you are finding.

Question for my readers: Do you struggle with resume writing? or is it a breeze? Let me know :)