Resume Writing 101
Hi all, today’s topic is Resume Writing 101 - this is the intro course and I’ll do a few more of these blog posts.
Believe it or not, resumes are one of my favorite topics to discuss because I think they’re so easy to master. Most of us look at Resumes as things that are tough to write and tedious to keep up with… and to be fair, both of these things are true. HOWEVER, your resume is your first opportunity to get in front of a person at a company you want to work at so why wouldn’t you invest the time into making it great? Most people do not and that’s why you can put yourself ahead of the crowd by making minor adjustments to your resume so it’s something that a Recruiter actually wants to read.
It’s like a virtual handshake. Have you ever shaken someone’s hand and they give you the most limp wristed, sweaty palm handshake you have ever had in your life? When I read some resumes that people submit for my job postings, they are incredibly sweaty and limp-wristed attempts to get a job and it makes me crazy. If you’re not willing to invest time in putting together a good resume, I am going to assume that you’re not going to invest time in being good at your job. YES I KNOW THIS IS MENTAL GYMASTICS. But I shouldn’t have to dig my way through someone’s resume to understand how qualified they are - it’s YOUR job to tell the Recruiter.
If you are using the same resume to apply for every job that pops up, hate to break it to you bestie but you are doing it wrong. Any time you apply for a job, you should be saving a new version of your resume and making edits to incorporate key words from the job posting and moving things around so that you highlight all of your relevant experience. Making these changes should take you no longer than it takes to put on a full face of makeup so I know you have time. When I make these changes, I use an AI chatbot like ChatGPT to help me out. It’s free to use and I’ll do another post on prompts for ChatGPT to get help fixing your resume.
Do NOT send a limp wrist resume into a job you really want.
So today I am going to do all I can to help you master the art of resume writing. I have also put together a downloadable template for y’all to use for FREE, everyone’s favorite price - the button to download is at the bottom. If you have any issues with the template, send me an email at hello@mcfamlife.com and I’ll do my best to get back to you.
I did a workshop a few years ago in collaboration with a Recruiter and we asked other Recruiters “how much time do you spend reviewing a resume?” These were some of their responses:
“anywhere from a few second overview to up to 2-3 minutes depending on the quality of the resume”
“probably 15 – 30 seconds, honestly…”
“first pass, 5 seconds to see if anything stands out…if qualified, up to 2 minutes maybe”
If your resume isn’t readable within 30 seconds - 2 minutes and does not give the Recruiter the information they need to see, then you may end up being declined for a role that you’re super qualified for. Let’s talk about some quick Resume Dos and Donts to help you fix your Rez.
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Quick plug! I have videos, posts, and answer questions frequently. I also do my best to reply to every DM. We’ll see you there!
Resume Dos and Donts:
DOs
Keep your resume at a reasonable length (1-2 pages)
Do not go over 2 pages. If you have 5 years of work experience, your resume should be 1 page. If you have 10 years of work experience, you can use 2 pages front/back. If your resume is more than 5 pages, no one is reading it and you have not done the work to be concise about your eligiblity for the role you’re applying for.
Clear timeline of your work history
Include your responsibilities AND your accomplishments (USE DATA!)
Pick a font and size that is readable and professional (I prefer Calibri font size 10 or 11)
Don’t be afraid to create a new resume for each opportunity (you should absolutely do this and incorporate key words)
Have someone peer review your resume
DONTs
Do not put your address on your resume - just list your City, State
Don’t send your resume to someone as a Word file, save it as a PDF
Don’t cram text in or use a small font size
Don’t put pictures on your resume
Don’t include inaccurate information
Do not apply with an external resume or LinkedIn profile (always apply on the company site, not on LinkedIn)
Don’t write cover letters unless requested
Don’t include a “References” section unless requested
Using the Template
Download the template and save it to your desktop.
Enter your information into the table in the various spaces I have asked for it. Do not change font size, font, or move the edges of the table.
Once you’ve completed it, save the Resume as “First Name Last Name Resume Month Year”
Example: Lacey McFam Resume October 2024
Now go to File > Save as Adobe PDF.
I built this template using a table so the formatting doesn’t get messed up when you enter your information but I made all of the table borders invisible so although you’ll be able to see them when you edit the template, they will disappear once you save this document as a PDF.
Send your resume to someone as a PDF.
Last thing I’ll say here - first, I hope this template is helpful and helps you clean up your resume a bit. My objective for this was to keep it simple and this is the exact same resume I use. If you are struggling to use the template, send me an email or a DM and describe your specific issue and I’ll try to help out. When I get questions from people about using these types of templates, it’s actually because of the individual’s skill level with Microsoft Word. If you are not familiar with how to edit in Microsoft Word (a key skill required for most jobs), I recommend you look into a workshop that can teach you some of the foundational skills. LinkedIn Learning has a ton of great courses and would be a great place to start.
