You spend hours, days, and weeks perfecting the format. You triple-check for grammatical errors; you rewrite it several times, and for what? To be skimmed over. The mere seconds that a hiring manager glazes over it is no exaggeration.
As your career progresses and you gain more experience, it can be challenging to fit everything onto a single-page resume. Knowing that hiring managers are likely only briefly looking at your resume means that you need to find a way to capitalize on the space you have without sacrificing quality.
Luckily, with a few modifications, you can make your resume last longer. Here are some easy steps you can take to get the most out of the space you have.
Keep it Simple
Hiring managers often don’t have the time to read through dozens of lengthy resumes, so keep it concise. Stick to the most important details and avoid unnecessary fluff. Obviously, there are a few exceptions to this rule, especially for those in more creative fields. In general, though, avoid logos, excessive color, graphics, and images.
When describing your experience, use strong action verbs to make your accomplishments sound more impressive. Instead of saying “responsible for managing a team,” try “led a team of 10 employees to exceed sales targets by 20%.” This will help you stand out from other candidates and demonstrate your impact.
Remember that white space is your friend. As impressive as your employment history is, the multiple columns and long sentences aren’t going to fare well in the long haul. Stick to the highlights.
Link to a Longer Version
Do you have a comprehensive, reverse-chronological work history that includes every position you’ve held since college? If you do, your resume probably includes a lot of irrelevant information.
If you have 15 years of impressive executive experience, it can be hard (if not impossible) to follow the one-page rule. You never want to go beyond a couple of pages, so for instances where you’re struggling to confine your work, you can always link to a longer version.
The truth is that the 7-second scan is just the beginning of a recruiter’s research. An experienced recruiter is going to quickly figure out if you’re qualified, but they’ll rarely call you without looking you up on LinkedIn or doing some research. Providing a longer version accelerates the process and fast-tracks you toward the finish line.
As for your main resume, you should tighten your history down to three positions. It may not seem like a lot, but recruiters are looking for the most relevant information.
Expertise and Skills At the Top
Every resume needs action verbs and quantitative data at the top of each job description.
For example, you increased revenue by 40%, or you cut 1/3 of operational costs.
If you’re doing this, it’s also safe to say that bullet points are the way to go. With only a few seconds of skim time, you want them to quickly be able to find your impact on the bottom line.
Your resume should be focused purely on professional accolades. Personal achievements are likely to come up during the interview process, so there’s no use in mentioning them, even in the extended version of your resume.
Understand that whether it’s a recruiter or a hiring manager looking at your resume, speed is key. They’re typically sifting through dozens, or hundreds or sometimes even thousands of resumes. If you’re currently looking for opportunities, check out our current job searches here.