I used to be on the fence about including hobbies and volunteer work on a resume, but now I’m not. I had been ambivalent because while hobbies or volunteerism arguably have little or no bearing on a candidate’s qualifications, they sometimes catch the hiring manager’s eye and forge enough of a bond that it leads…
This is one of those urban myths that really needs to be analyzed so that everyone can see how silly it is. No, your resume does NOT need to be on one page, and I don’t care what some recruiter(s) told you. I’m a Human Resources professional, and I can tell you that while 99.9%…
They’re traditional, and they’re still the norm, but increasingly people wonder if resumes are still relevant to employers when there are newer ways to assess candidates. As a professional resume writer, I obviously think resumes are still relevant, and will remain relevant for the near future.. Alternatives to resumes include videos in which candidates discuss…
Time and again, when clients show me their old resumes, I see skills that are completely outdated or irrelevant, which not only ages you, but tells employers you don’t value the skills that they value. As to what skills I predict that employers will look for in 2020, you can be assured that by this…
I’ve never understood why job candidates need to write a cover letter, and I don’t understand why it’s a hotly contested issue within the hiring process. Here’s the fact: the vast majority of people in recruiting don’t read cover letters. I periodically survey recruiters and HR professionals in my network to get their feedback, and…
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it now: your GPA doesn’t belong on your resume. Recent graduates mention their GPAs, which I understand. They’re just exiting an environment where their grades mattered, and if they’re applying to graduate school, they still matter. That doesn’t mean that GPAs add value to resumes, and I’ll explain…
Your resume is your first line of defense to avoid ageism during your job search, as ageism is a real, if difficult to prove obstacle to your job search if you are over 50. By eliminating details that point to your age, you greatly improve the odds that your resume will land you interviews. So…
One of the first steps I take when writing a client’s resume is to strip away anything that doesn’t add meaning in explaining that individual’s value proposition. So if you’re wondering what constitutes unnecessary detail in your resume, read on. A professor who taught a graduate program in writing gave our class excellent advice. She…