Debunking some resume rumors

It's a good thing I love my job, because I've gotten to do so much of it lately. Haven't found the time to blog in a few weeks.

I will pick up with my opinions on the "resume rumors" I last left you with.

Rumors: 1 & 2: Even at the most senior levels, a resume needs to be one page. No resume should go beyond two pages.

I think these two statements can be very damaging. At senior levels and with complex work it is just impossible to represent your body of work on one page.

Rumors 1 & 2 come first because they exemplify how resume advice to one person in one situation is then shared with another and soon you have the daisy chain of "I heard that..." I referenced in my previous blog, with people hearing second hand advice as a "rule" that they assume is applicable to their situation as well.

At a recent presentation I gave on resumes a participant said, "I heard of a recruiter who throws any resume that is more than one page in the trash." OK, but what type of jobs is this recruiter trying to fill? A one page rule would make some sense (if it's even true) for entry level work, but is an absurd concept to assume also applies to more complex job requirements, further along in one's career, or to more than one alleged recruiter. Job postings that are a full page or more of description can't be served with a one page resume. Also, many recruiters other than this one will tell you that the one page rule is carryover-from-the-50s bunk. This is not your parent's hiring environment.

I believe in very few resume universals - that apply to all resumes in all situations. (completely free of typos being one of them). What I do believe is that your resume should be built to best tell your story - your potential through the sum of your body of work to date - and the way to best accomplish that goal is as unique as each person's story.

So how long should a resume be? Long enough to represent you fully and fairly, and no longer. Maybe this silly "one page" rumor is ancient carryover from a simpler time. Or maybe it got started because if your resume is going to be dreadful to read then yes, keep it as short as possible. My experience has been that when the content is well-written, formatted for readability and relevant to the reader, every page of a multi-page resume will get read.

Rumor: 3. Even at the most senior levels, you must write your resume yourself.

This is just silly - unless you also believe that everyone must also cut their own hair and tailor their own clothing to be "authentic." Your resume should absolutely speak with your voice, so this is probably where the confusion comes from. A very good resume writer can do this, but a lot can't. So I think the rumor that you must do it yourself assumes you won't find someone good at what they do - showing without overstatement or understatement how good you are at what you do.

Of course I could file my own tax returns, but I know that because he does a lot of them and stays up on all the latest laws, I am going to do better financially by spending the money to hire a good CPA to do it for me instead. The onus is on me to give him the facts he needs, but from there he is the one who makes it happen. As much as I believe in "do it yourself" autonomy, there are just some things that you're far likely to get a better quality product when you hire a professional who does them all the time. Like cutting your hair and tailoring your clothes. Refinishing your hardwood floors...

Rumors 4 & 5: Resumes should be all paragraphs. Resumes should be all bullets.

Resumes should not be ALL of anything; monotone formatting is as hard to read as constantly changing, inconsistent formatting. The formatting should allow the content to take center stage, and help the reader's eyes move over the page to take in the content without distraction.

Rumors 6 & 7: Resumes should have a clear objective. Resumes shouldn't have an objective.

Not a fan of objectives. That said, I am much less of a fan of one-size fits all answers. A resume is a very personal document and answers should be situational instead of universal. Although I generally don't think objectives are the best way to accomplish the goal they are intended to accomplish, there are times when they are the best way to get where you want to go.

Rumors 8 & 9: Resumes should always be in Times New Roman font. Resumes should only use sans serif fonts.

Again, I don't believe there is a best practice that applies to all resumes in all situations. So that your text doesn't turn into wingdings, you should avoid fonts that are not common on any computer where your resume might be opened. Beyond that fonts should be chosen with the person and situation in mind.

Rumors 10 & 11: You shouldn't use any "feminine" words like collaboration or facilitation. You should only include content you did 100% by yourself.

I used the word silly already, so I will say that I think this is ridiculous. As much as results are important, so is teamwork and getting along with other people.

Rumor 12. You should never include your LinkedIn profile.

Again, think about what you're trying to accomplish and you'll see another way to do it instead of assuming it can't be done. If you include your LinkedIn profile, avoid the chance that the hyperlink can land your resume in the recipient's spam folder by not including it as a URL.