i havnt been on the lookout for a job in over 15 years. so the last time i did my resume it was done on a typewriter. what is the latest style of resume that employeers look for? if anyone is interested in helping me update mine, or basically start a new one, just PM me please.

12/18/2008 1:59:26 PM

actually the typewriter resume sounds pretty bad ass

12/18/2008 2:02:35 PM

How much are you willing to pay for my time? I work for a staffing agency, so making peoples' resumes look professional is a big part of our business. I don't personally tweak resumes since I am on the sales end, but I can have one of the staffing folks put it together for you.

12/18/2008 2:18:41 PM

Google resumes and copy the templete. Not that hard you old fart.

12/18/2008 2:25:10 PM

yea i can do it, i was just interested in what companies prefer now. my last resume was 4 pages long, and very detailed. i hear now that companies look for short and sweet "cliff notes" style.

DJ, what would it cost for a "professional" to tweek a resume?

12/18/2008 2:29:07 PM

we had a resume assignment in ENG 331. we were taught to keep it short (keep it on one page) with really clear headings for the different sections. you don't need to put everything you've done one there, just what's relevant to that job. so when you're looking for jobs, you don't have one all-encompassing resume that you send to every job. instead, you tailor a resume to each job that you apply for.

12/18/2008 2:40:22 PM

I really wouldn't know to be honest with you. We only do it because it is in our best interest to get our candidates placed, so that we can get paid our fees from our clients.

But as a general rule of thumb, I try to keep my initial resume to 1 page. Then if I get a call for an interview, i inquire if the company would like a more detailed resume. Most companies like it short and sweet, because they will get the majority of the details from the interview process.

12/18/2008 2:41:43 PM

i have too much experience, education, and certifications to limit my resume to 1 page...no more than two is key, though

i use an office template for my resume that does only some very basic font formatting and mostly just lines everything up for me

i've never really had trouble getting the jobs i wanted and no one's ever commented on my resume one way or another

*shrug*

12/18/2008 2:55:49 PM

there is nothing wrong with a two page resume if you have been working for 10-15 years and have multiple job listings

12/18/2008 3:10:03 PM

message_topic.aspx?topic=440359

12/18/2008 3:23:05 PM

Quote :

"yea i can do it, i was just interested in what companies prefer now. my last resume was 4 pages long, and very detailed. i hear now that companies look for short and sweet "cliff notes" style."

it also depends on what industry you are applying for. My resume would be a much different style then say a sales person or admin person's resume.

I basically had 2 pages. page 1 was the resume.
page 2 was a more detailed list of requirements and contributions

12/18/2008 4:35:30 PM

we were also taught to never use a microsoft office template

12/18/2008 4:56:28 PM

^ OMG, then ENG 331 must be the end all be all resource for resumes...

12/18/2008 5:01:36 PM

there is nothing wrong with a two page resume if you have been working for 10-15 years and have multiple job listings

there is nothing wrong with a two page resume if you work in a field that looks for multi page resumes. if i sent out a one page resume, i would be laughed at

of course, if i've done my job right within my next two searches i'll have to start doing CVs instead of resumes...

ps - don't forget to have a great cover letter to go with your resume

12/18/2008 5:17:25 PM

^^nowhere did i say it was. i was just sharing what i have been taught.

12/18/2008 6:05:07 PM

Quote :

"it also depends on what industry you are applying for. My resume would be a much different style then say a sales person or admin person's resume. I basically had 2 pages. page 1 was the resume. page 2 was a more detailed list of requirements and contributions"

Yeah, but in your field, that second page is more like a portfolio cheat sheet

12/18/2008 6:13:37 PM

Quote :

"we were also taught to never use a microsoft office template"

so was i...but i pretty much ignored them because at the time, i was in the process of hiring some people for the company i was working for and i realized that those who had a tastefully different (nothing outlandish, no retarded fonts, no funky formats) resume stood out in my mind...i also saw a (general) correlation between these "different" resumes and the personality/character of the applicant

i kinda figured that my first-hand experience trumped some academic viewpoint...to this day, i have a favorite format and it's hardly plain jane (but it's not flashy, either...i don't know how to explain it)

*shrug*

12/18/2008 6:19:29 PM

DON'T PAY SOMEONE TO WRITE YOUR RESUME

There's a free - if you're unemployed - resume class done by Wake Tech. I'm taking it now and its VERY helpful. For info, email Pat at: pstaylor@waketech.edu The teacher of this class will go out of his way to help you and it is FREE. Also, most of the advice given in this thread is outdated and worthless. Almost everyone here is basing their thoughts on textbook examples of resumes from the 1960's and 70's.

12/19/2008 9:10:04 AM

i heard you should spray it with perfume and seal it with a kiss in red lipstick.

for the most part, your resume is going to be screened for keywords/skills, either by computer or by a person. if enough of those show up, you'll likely get a phone call. after that its up to you. so regardless of format or how pretty it looks, be sure those things are easy to pick out. good luck, its a tough time to be looking.

[Edited on December 19, 2008 at 11:01 AM. Reason : .]

12/19/2008 11:00:34 AM

^^I don't know about that. Short and sweet and taylor it to the industry seem to be how i got my job out of school.

[Edited on December 19, 2008 at 11:01 AM. Reason : ]

12/19/2008 11:00:56 AM

^^ indeed, for a good sized company, your resume won't get to a real person until after it goes through HR people and their search software (and unless the person is a recommendation, < 3.5 gpa doesn't get to us). HR people have no idea what the keywords they are looking for mean.


- A non-cookie cutter, tasteful resume will get noticed
- There is definitely a reliable correlation in how much care people put into their resume and how strong of a candidate they were
- So, make sure it looks nice, is written with powerful language, is tailored to the job you are applying for, is organized
- I would highly recommend keeping the resume concise. I only look at most for about 30 seconds unless I see something that catches my eye. So, you need to use descriptions that have a lot of meaning in a few words. Also, use formatting to your advantage and make important points highly visible.
- I wasn't sure about this before I got my first job, but definitely put an objective statement. It should state what you want to do and cut straight to what you are passionate about.
- I completely ignore memberships listed on resumes since i have no idea what most of the organizations are (honor societies, frats, etc). Everyone knows that most people are in one of those things simply because they paid to be there.
- Hobbies that show off skills that are relevant to the job are good.
- Relevant projects outside of school are very good because they show internal drive to be good in your field.
- Putting sports down is questionable.
- Absolutely do not put stupid shit down like video games and anime (it happens).
- Put class projects and group activities down before dumb stuff like retail or food service.
- The descriptions of education and projects should not simply describe what the projects were. They should show how you did something exceptional on that project. The resumes where people are matter-of-fact about the experiences don't turn into interviews.
- ENG 331 actually teaches a lot of good stuff. Take advantage. In general, resumes from NCSU have been better than peer institutions because of this class.
- I'm not going to disqualify anyone because of it, but I have also noticed that the stronger candidates all send thank you emails after interviews.
- If the job is for some sort of technical or software position, do not put down microsoft office as a skill.
- Things that show you have been rewarded through a competitive selection process (awards, scholarships, competitions) are very good

Overall, the resume needs to show that you have done a sufficient amount of technical work AND that you are an effective communicator, creative, flexible, analytical, and can get things done. If you can include things that clearly touch on all of those, you will have a good resume.

Most resumes tie on technical skills. The ones that stand out point to some sort of well-roundedness.

[Edited on December 19, 2008 at 10:12 PM. Reason : .]

12/19/2008 9:50:28 PM

Here is a list of different resume styles I have compiled from Pages on my Mac.

http://tinyurl.com/8g2he7

12/20/2008 12:51:20 AM

Mine is 2 pages, very well put together, and usually receives compliments. can send around if anyone wants a real world example.

12/20/2008 9:02:01 PM

You guys should read some of the fucked u[ resumes we get on a day to day basis. In fact, i think I am going to start saving the really shitty ones and I will start a thread about it. Maybe I will post a new one each day or something, changing all the personal info of course.

12/20/2008 9:07:02 PM

lawl

that would be pretty hilarious

12/20/2008 9:07:59 PM

i had to condense mine like a mf to get it to 1 page...i think if mine had 2 pages it would be too much fluff

12/20/2008 9:08:35 PM

I saw one come through on Friday and the introduction part just said, in all caps, "I REALLY NEED A JOB"

12/20/2008 9:21:42 PM

it took a lot for me to condense mine to two pages. i'm in marine science, and b/c i'm not a phd mine's not supposed to be more than 2 pages, but i still have to include work/teaching exp, tech skills, pubs, training, etc.

12/20/2008 9:31:28 PM

Throw the whole 1 page/2 page thing out the fucking window if you have the experience and credentials to fill out the white space.

12/22/2008 2:52:41 AM

true...but def stick to 1 page if its a lot of bs

12/22/2008 3:01:43 AM

Quote :

"i havnt been on the lookout for a job in over 15 years. so the last time i did my resume it was done on a typewriter."

So either you are 40 years old, or you have worked in the same company since starting HS?

12/22/2008 4:55:03 AM

Concerning hard copies, there's nothing wrong with a two-page resume. But just make sure to print it front and back on one sheet of paper--and good paper, at that.

12/22/2008 6:59:34 AM

The only way you can keep a resume one page is if you just came out of college and have very little experience in the field....have yall seen Mary Ann Fox's resume?

12/22/2008 10:54:32 AM

^ ma fox's is an academic CV though, it's supposed to be comprehensive

12/22/2008 11:01:48 AM

^^^ If anyone handed me a 2 page resume that was front and back I would fucking slap them with it then shred it shortly thereafter.

12/22/2008 4:20:54 PM

Quote :

"we had a resume assignment in ENG 331. we were taught to keep it short (keep it on one page) with really clear headings for the different sections."

A resume/CV can be any length so long as the information is relevant. I have gotten 3 good jobs with 2-2.5 page resumes.

12/22/2008 4:23:40 PM

Ive heard of recruiters regularly receiving 5-10 page resumes. But then again those people were idiots and had no clue what they were doing.

12/22/2008 4:29:32 PM

Yeah, unless you have been in the game for 15 years and moving from institution to institution doing some bad ass shit everywhere you go, a 5-10 page resume would most likely be bullshit.

12/22/2008 4:32:30 PM

A resume that is front and back of one page is childish

12/22/2008 4:37:19 PM

Quote :

"If the job is for some sort of technical or software position, do not put down microsoft office as a skill."

yea, screw the person who told me to put it on there.

12/22/2008 5:02:37 PM

^ isn't mastery of excel spreadsheets a necessary/vital skill in some places?

12/22/2008 8:20:04 PM

Quote :

"actually the typewriter resume sounds pretty bad ass"

12/23/2008 1:39:39 AM

just sent an email to the lady at Wake Tech.

never thought I would go to WT in a million years. oh well I hope the class is helpfull.

12/23/2008 3:56:47 AM

honestly their free classes & seminars are usually awesome

ntm the price is right

12/23/2008 10:41:53 AM

Quote :

"If anyone handed me a 2 page [sic] resume that was front and back I would fucking slap them with it then shred it shortly thereafter."

wut

This is because you're obviously not very intelligent. Setting aside the sheer efficiency of printing a two-page resume on one sheet of paper, what about environmental concerns? Why do you want to kill even more trees? And I could go on, but I choose not to.

You probably shouldn't post anywhere ever again.

12/23/2008 10:52:15 AM

Quote :

"- If the job is for some sort of technical or software position, do not put down microsoft office as a skill."

I respectfully disagree. I submitted a resume a few years ago for a technical position here at NCSU that I thought I was qualified for, and when I checked the status it was listed as "does not meet minimum requirements". I was perplexed so I called HR to ask why it wasn't forwarded, and the HR person told me it was because I didn't list Microsoft Office as a skill and it's listed as a required skill for pretty much every job at NCSU where you might use a computer. I added Office to my skills list and promptly got an interview.

12/23/2008 11:09:50 AM

Quote :

"So either you are 40 years old, or you have worked in the same company since starting HS? "

yes i just turned 38 last friday, and i have had 2 jobs. i can do a resume, i just didnt know if there was a specific style that any of you might have found that get employers attention, or if there are ones i should stay away from. the resume i used to get this job, was an updated one from the one i used to get the job i had in high school. i dont think just updating it again would do the trick again this time.

12/23/2008 12:05:09 PM

Quote :

"This is because you're obviously not very intelligent. Setting aside the sheer efficiency of printing a two-page resume on one sheet of paper, what about environmental concerns? Why do you want to kill even more trees? And I could go on, but I choose not to. You probably shouldn't post anywhere ever again."

You should probably lay off the blunts and stop inhaling the incense.

You choose not to because your argument is weaker than shaqs free throw percentage.

12/23/2008 12:11:24 PM

wut, actually in my field [design] sustainable practices such as printing front/back is a good thing, and if you pull it off in a way (with a note about sustainability) i think it could come across as actually a stong point (so long as the text doesn't bleed/see through)

Quote :

"- I completely ignore memberships listed on resumes since i have no idea what most of the organizations are (honor societies, frats, etc). Everyone knows that most people are in one of those things simply because they paid to be there."

i really disagree with this (unless it's frat's). to me - memberships can show what you are passionate about, what ethical standards you are held to (in the case of most professional organizations), and in many cases can show your leadership potential especially if you're an officer in a prof. organization.

[Edited on December 23, 2008 at 12:21 PM. Reason : .]

12/23/2008 12:19:18 PM

^^ How so?

^ Yes, and if you use quality paper--as I suggested--"bleeding" will not be a problem.

[Edited on December 23, 2008 at 12:21 PM. Reason : .]

12/23/2008 12:19:50 PM