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The Six (6) Most Frequently Asked Questions about Résumés

Q1:

How do I choose a résumé style, and what is the difference between styles?

A1:

First you must understand that the purpose of a résumé is to quickly communicate and assure a potential employer that you have all the talents, skills and abilities needed to do the job that employer needs to have done.  The employer has posted a job order that is filled with requirements, and if you plan to apply, your résumé must line up what you have to offer so that your match-up can be easily seen in a way that is better than that of any other job candidate who may be vying for the same position.

Second, you need to know about three styles of résumés—Chronologic, Functional and Curriculum Vitae—and which one will do the best job.  Since a Functional is written in a way that groups all your talents, skills and abilities first—at the very beginning of your document—it is always the best way to make your presentation.  And "Yes", it may cost a bit more, but because your talents, skills and abilities come first in a way that gives lots of details, it always does a better job.  However, if you are someone who needs to have a license to do your job, like a Registered Nurse, then simply because you have the license required, confirms to any employer that you already have all the talents, skills and abilities needed to be that Registered Nurse or you could not have obtained your license.  The same is true of Welders, Stock Brokers, Certified Public Accountants, Attorneys, Doctors, Pressure Vessel Engineers and a number of other job titles where a Functional résumé is probably going to be unnecessary.

As for a Curriculum Vitae, it is meant to be nothing more than an ultra-short listing of your employment history, education, professional development and specialized training.  Curriculum Vitaes are almost always reserved for Judges, Physicians, Attorneys, Professors and Politicians.

Q2:

How many years of employment should be listed?

A2:

Different industries have different time frames.  Banking, for instance, likes every year documented—from the time you graduate school to the present—while other industries are not as stringent.  Reporting back ten years is a safe rule-of-thumb.  Listing a job you had in 1964 is giving a potential employer information that is almost five (5) decades old.

Q3:

Isn't a résumé supposed to be only one page?

A3:

No.  A résumé summarizes the experience, skills and abilities of a potential employee.  Not providing enough detail will only be a disservice to you.  In the event you are just entering the workforce and have a minimal amount of experience, then a one-page résumé is appropriate.  However, if you have been working for four years or more, one page may not be sufficient.  It doesn't make sense for an employer searching for personnel to spend thousands of dollars in advertising costs, recruiter fees, staff interview time, the cost of the employee's salary and the like, only to receive a résumé that is so brief that reading does not adequately instill confidence that you are truly qualified. Employers want details to give them confidence that their selection-for-interview judgments are well-informed.

When a job opening needs to be filled, the department manager or executive for whom a new employee is going to work is given an assignment by the HR department—the group who will be doing the actual recruiting, screening and selection of qualified candidates.  That assignment is for the department manager or executive to make a bullet point list—usually no more than three-quarters of a page—listing just the requirements needed.  So now, when résumés flood in, the HR people, of course, are going t want something very short and simple so they can scan the document ultra-quickly, find those three-quarter's of a page of listed bullet points and send only those qualified individuals up the the department manager or executive for an initial interview.

But remember, it is the department manager or executive who is going to be spending and justifying an expenditure on a job candidate's salary that involves the company's money, so the last thing these decision-makers truly want is a home made résumé that is extra short, subjective rather than objective and not complete in the way details, standards and knowledge—that may be a crucial component of a job—is abbreviated or just mindlessly omitted.  Great, so your home made résumé is one page, but unless you are an entry level job-hunter, that document of yours isn't going to get you where you need to go. 

Q4:

Is a cover letter important, and what is its purpose?

A4:

Yes, a cover letter is important; it introduces the résumé.  One of the biggest mistakes people make is repeating information that is on their résumé in their cover letter.  The cover letter should contain a limited amount of information and direct the reader to the résumé.

Q5:

Should references be listed on a résumé?

A5:

Never.  References are not appropriate at such an early stage.  By including references on a résumé, a doubt may be created as to why references have been provided—and this doubt may not work to your advantage.  Maybe not to you, but to most others, references on a résumé infer that you and your résumé can not stand on your own without them.  Presenting your references, on a separate sheet, at the end of a successful interview is the professional way to submit your references to a potential employer.

Q6:

What is the best paper color to put a résumé on?

A6:

This is a very frequently asked question.  So long as the range of colors in your selection is subdued and professional, you needn't worry.  Pink for a man, of course, would not be recommended, just as thinking that a résumé's color, rather than its content, is the thing that's most important.  A color that you like is the best choice.  If you don't get hired because of the color your résumé is on, think about the reason the employer will use to not give you a raise!