A good read about the Cover Letter!
5 reasons to love cover letters when you really hate them
by Scot Herrick
Over at the technology job site Dice, they are in the process of hiring a person to work on technology reporting in Silicon Valley and writing about the process on the Dice web site. It’s not often you get an inside look at what goes on inside a hiring managers head and the comments about it are pretty interesting in their own right. (Disclosure: I write for Dice in the career advice area). The biggest area of contention? The writing of cover letters.
People really hate writing them.
For good reasons too: they take time. Automated resume readers at big companies don’t pay any attention to them. Plus, when you get that legally perfect, automated “We don’t care about you but will keep your stuff on file” rejection e-mail, writing the cover letter is not seen as making a difference.
I seriously get this; I don’t like writing cover letters either. Just starting out writing them is hard…like who do you address the letter to? Dear job number 143276…
But there are very good reasons to write cover letters when applying for a job. You should really love them, even if you hate writing them.
1. Cover letters show differentiation from the masses
The rule here is that everyone hates writing cover letters, so they don’t. The fact they don’t means if you DO write one, you can have a competitive advantage over other candidates to get the interview. Differentiating yourself in this job market is critical to get the interview and a cover letter is a great way to show that simply by doing one.
2. Cover letters highlight particular areas of the resume for the job
Yes, your resume will show your accomplishments and how you qualify for the job. But it may take sifting through five different jobs to really address how you fit with the job you are applying for. Or you may have consistently done all sorts of work that fits the job description, but it is not as obvious in the resume (like your job title is Project Manager, but half your work was on process management while you had the job title).
The cover letter allows you to gracefully tie together all the parts of your resume relevant to the prospective job. It tells the story of why you are the right fit for the job.
3. Cover letters force you to think through why you are right for the prospective job
Seriously, a hiring manager cannot divine how you are the best fit for the job. The resume is a great way to show all your accomplishments, job skills and work history, but it doesn’t laser focus the reason you would be so great on the prospective job.
Cover letters give you the ability to describe your unique work characteristics that show how you would fit the job better than others. Of course, if you don’t know why you would be great on the job, this would make doing a cover letter especially difficult to do. Know yourself and what special talents and skills you bring to the work you do and incorporate that into the cover letter.
4. Cover letters prove your communications ability
Resumes provide the facts, but cover letters provide the story. People remember the stories while they won’t remember the facts. If you can’t communicate why you would be great on the job, chances are you won’t be able to communicate well on the job either; a nightmare situation for a manager.
My favorite comment in the Dice article was from someone who said they “could do this job in their sleep” and was upset about the fact that he had to go through hoops to prove it. Your resume can show you could do the job, but the cover letter can tell the story about how you can do the job. If you can “do this job in their sleep” and you don’t get the job, then you need to do some serious soul-searching as to why you can’t communicate that to a hiring manager.
5. Cover letters make your case; the resume proves it
The cover letter tells the story of how you can do the work. The cover letter ties the parts of your resume together to show the common thread of qualifications for the job. Then you move to the resume and the resume makes the case for you getting the interview.
I was in high school debate (did pretty well, too) and the first affirmative’s job was to make the case for change. The second affirmative’s job was to describe the plan and prove how it solved the problems. Here, the cover letter makes the case and the resume shows how it fulfills the qualifications you presented.
Every tool, every time
Look, I get that you can send out ten more resumes for every cover letter you write. You might think that makes you more productive and helps you feel like you are doing a wide job search. But you know what? Everyone is doing that. Few are taking the time to write the cover letter that will differentiate them from the masses and speak directly to the hiring manager. You won’t get an interview for every job application even if you write a cover letter, of course.
But you will get more interviews compared to others who don’t. A powerful little tool, that cover letter.
IT’S NOT DIFFICULT GETTING A JOB OUT OF COLLEGE!
A good article for those of you who recently graduated from College.
By Jay Block on Jun 7, 2010 in Job Search
A question was posted on LinkedIn that asked: Why is it difficult to get a job coming out of college? The truthful answer is: IT’S NOT DIFFICULT GETTING A JOB OUT OF COLLEGE !! Whether you are a college grad or seasoned professional – landing a good job quickly is a “process;” an easy 5-step process. You just have to work hard at this easy 5-step process. But you’re NOT taught the process so you either don’t work hard at what you don’t know, or work hard at what doesn’t work.
So here’s the process:
Step 1) Develop a positive, confident, and fearless mindset.
Step 2) Define a clear goal that turns you on and turns the market on (meaning a goals that has economic value that a company will benefit from).
Step 3) Develop self-marketing tools that communicate your ability to a) produce significant results, b) contribute to organizational goals, and c) “provide more value than you are compensated for.” And your résumé and LinkedIn profile better be a self marketing profile on steroids! Stand out and get noticed!
Step 4) Create a written plan with weekly tasks, weekly goals, and measurable results. Form a team of people (your private board of directors) to help you create and implement the plan. The plan is your GPC system to your next job!
Step 5) Take massive action and master a few key skills – such as building your own personal sales force (formally known as networking). Take massive action on the plan you developed in step 4. And if you are not getting the results you want, go back and modify the plan.
If you work hard (unemployed = 60 productive hours a week) at this ‘process” – IT’S NOT DIFFICULT GETTING A JOB OUT OF COLLEGE !
By Jay Block on Jun 7, 2010 in Job Search
A question was posted on LinkedIn that asked: Why is it difficult to get a job coming out of college? The truthful answer is: IT’S NOT DIFFICULT GETTING A JOB OUT OF COLLEGE !! Whether you are a college grad or seasoned professional – landing a good job quickly is a “process;” an easy 5-step process. You just have to work hard at this easy 5-step process. But you’re NOT taught the process so you either don’t work hard at what you don’t know, or work hard at what doesn’t work.
So here’s the process:
Step 1) Develop a positive, confident, and fearless mindset.
Step 2) Define a clear goal that turns you on and turns the market on (meaning a goals that has economic value that a company will benefit from).
Step 3) Develop self-marketing tools that communicate your ability to a) produce significant results, b) contribute to organizational goals, and c) “provide more value than you are compensated for.” And your résumé and LinkedIn profile better be a self marketing profile on steroids! Stand out and get noticed!
Step 4) Create a written plan with weekly tasks, weekly goals, and measurable results. Form a team of people (your private board of directors) to help you create and implement the plan. The plan is your GPC system to your next job!
Step 5) Take massive action and master a few key skills – such as building your own personal sales force (formally known as networking). Take massive action on the plan you developed in step 4. And if you are not getting the results you want, go back and modify the plan.
If you work hard (unemployed = 60 productive hours a week) at this ‘process” – IT’S NOT DIFFICULT GETTING A JOB OUT OF COLLEGE !
Insider Secrets to Getting Your Resume Read
Insider Secrets to Getting Your Resume Read
by Maria Hanson
It’s becoming harder than ever to get your resume read by a real person.
“HR people are drowning in resumes, and despite their best intentions, many can’t keep up,” says executive recruiter Mike Travis.
Help your resume win the attention it deserves by following these up-to-date tips from industry insiders:
Help your resume win the attention it deserves by following these up-to-date tips from industry insiders:
* “Keep it shorter, tighter, and more laser-focused,” advises resume expert Louise Kursmark. “Resumes are by necessity becoming crisper and more to the point.” With Twitter, texting, and a barrage of quick-hit multimedia messages, we’re getting accustomed to the succinct. “Readers quickly lose interest in wordy resumes that don’t get right to the point,” she says. This goes for cover letters, too.
* “Show some humor or personality,” says Jennifer Turner, of Talagy recruiting and staffing company. “I recently called a candidate, even though he didn’t match any current positions, because his online resume title was, ‘Smart and Funny Sales Guy.’”
* “Make your resume read like a news story, not an encyclopedia entry,” suggests Sam Levine, of The Buttonwood Group. Pop an eye-catching headline and lead on the top and be sure to include a summary of qualifications.
* “Be results-oriented,” advises Erin Riley, assistant director of career services at the Chapman University School of Law. Whenever possible, quantify your accomplishments. Example: Instead of simply writing “Drafted OSHA appeal,” she says, include results: “Drafted OSHA appeal resulting in 90% reduction of
employer fine for employee’s serious on-the-job injury.”
* “Show what sets you apart,” says Nancy Keene, a director of Stanton Chase global executive search firm. “I like to see some indication of personal interests. It’s a good conversation trigger and provides some additional insight into who the person is.”
Riley agrees. “It’s an opportunity to make yourself memorable as an applicant,” she says. While an actual Personal Interest section is not usually advised, you can find ways to integrate your interests into your resume. For example, you could list your volunteer activities to give hiring managers some sense of your passions.
* “Use appropriate keywords,” suggests Kursmark. Since machines are increasingly reading your resume before people are, give the tracking systems what they’re looking for: the most significant keywords from the job description that fit your qualifications—anything from degrees to programming languages and other specialized job-related skills.
* “Let others sing your praises,” says Richard Deems, co-author of “Make Job Loss Work for You.” “We add a section at the end we title, ‘What Others Say.’ Then we list five short statements, usually without attribution, that others have said about the person.” Examples: “Sticks with it until the job gets done,” or “The most creative, prolific employee I’ve ever had.”
* “If your name is difficult to pronounce, include your nickname,” says Heather R. Huhman, president of Come Recommended. Like it or not, “Companies are more likely to call you for an interview if you provide a name they can easily pronounce,” she says.
* “Show some humor or personality,” says Jennifer Turner, of Talagy recruiting and staffing company. “I recently called a candidate, even though he didn’t match any current positions, because his online resume title was, ‘Smart and Funny Sales Guy.’”
* “Make your resume read like a news story, not an encyclopedia entry,” suggests Sam Levine, of The Buttonwood Group. Pop an eye-catching headline and lead on the top and be sure to include a summary of qualifications.
* “Be results-oriented,” advises Erin Riley, assistant director of career services at the Chapman University School of Law. Whenever possible, quantify your accomplishments. Example: Instead of simply writing “Drafted OSHA appeal,” she says, include results: “Drafted OSHA appeal resulting in 90% reduction of
employer fine for employee’s serious on-the-job injury.”
* “Show what sets you apart,” says Nancy Keene, a director of Stanton Chase global executive search firm. “I like to see some indication of personal interests. It’s a good conversation trigger and provides some additional insight into who the person is.”
Riley agrees. “It’s an opportunity to make yourself memorable as an applicant,” she says. While an actual Personal Interest section is not usually advised, you can find ways to integrate your interests into your resume. For example, you could list your volunteer activities to give hiring managers some sense of your passions.
* “Use appropriate keywords,” suggests Kursmark. Since machines are increasingly reading your resume before people are, give the tracking systems what they’re looking for: the most significant keywords from the job description that fit your qualifications—anything from degrees to programming languages and other specialized job-related skills.
* “Let others sing your praises,” says Richard Deems, co-author of “Make Job Loss Work for You.” “We add a section at the end we title, ‘What Others Say.’ Then we list five short statements, usually without attribution, that others have said about the person.” Examples: “Sticks with it until the job gets done,” or “The most creative, prolific employee I’ve ever had.”
* “If your name is difficult to pronounce, include your nickname,” says Heather R. Huhman, president of Come Recommended. Like it or not, “Companies are more likely to call you for an interview if you provide a name they can easily pronounce,” she says.
POWER WORDS
Many companies are using resume scanners to cypher through the hundreds of applicants they receive for one particular job. If your resume is lacking key action or power words, you may find your resume being discarded in their system. The following is a list of words that should be utilized in your resume and cover letters. Take a careful look in the job description, using words they have already used will also give you a leg up. Remember, be creative and stand out!
A
accelerated, acclimated, accompanied, accomplished, achieved, acquired,
acted, activated, actuated, adapted, added, addressed, adhered,
adjusted, administered, admitted, adopted, advanced, advertised,
advised, advocated, aided, aired, affected, allocated, altered, amended,
amplified, analyzed, answered, anticipated, appointed, appraised,
approached, approved, arbitrated, arranged, ascertained, asked,
assembled, assigned, assumed, assessed, assisted, attained, attracted,
audited, augmented, authored, authorized, automated, awarded, avail
B
balanced, bargained, borrowed, bought, broadened, budgeted, built
C
calculated, canvassed, capitalized, captured, carried, out, cast,
cataloged, centralized, challenged, chaired, changed, channeled,
charted, checked, chose, circulated, clarified, classified, cleared,
closed, co-authored, cold, called, collaborated, collected, combined,
commissioned, committed, communicated, compared, compiled, complied,
completed, composed, computed, conceived, conceptualized, concluded,
condensed, conducted, conferred, consolidated, constructed, consulted,
contracted, contrasted, contributed, contrived, controlled, converted,
convinced, coordinated, corrected, corresponded, counseled, counted,
created, critiqued, cultivated
D
debugged, decided, decentralized, decreased, deferred, defined,
delegated, delivered, demonstrated, depreciated, described, designated,
designed, determined, developed, devised, devoted, diagrammed, directed,
disclosed, discounted, discovered, dispatched, displayed, dissembled,
distinguished, distributed, diversified, divested, documented, doubled,
drafted
E
earned, eased, edited, effected, elected, eliminated, employed, enabled,
encouraged, endorsed, enforced, engaged, engineered, enhanced, enlarged,
enriched, entered, entertained, established, estimated, evaluated,
examined, exceeded, exchanged, executed, exempted, exercised, expanded,
expedited, explained, exposed, extended, extracted, extrapolated
F
facilitated, familiarized, fashioned, fielded, figured, financed, fit,
focused, forecasted, formalized, formed, formulated, fortified, found,
founded, framed, fulfilled, functioned, furnished,
G
gained, gathered, gauged, gave, generated, governed, graded, granted,
greeted, grouped, guided
H
handled, headed, hired, hosted
I
identified, illustrated, illuminated, implemented, improved, improvised,
inaugurated, indoctrinated, increased, incurred, induced, influenced,
informed, initiated, innovated, inquired, inspected, inspired,
installed, instigated, instilled, instituted, instructed, insured,
interfaced, interpreted, interviewed, introduced, invented, inventoried,
invested, investigated, invited, involved, isolated, issued
J
joined, judged,
L
launched, lectured, led, lightened, liquidated, litigated, lobbied,
localized, located
M
maintained, managed, mapped, marketed, maximized, measured, mediated,
merchandised, merged, met, minimized, modeled, moderated, modernized,
modified, monitored, motivated, moved, multiplied
N
named, narrated, negotiated, noticed, nurtured
O
observed, obtained, offered, offset, opened, operated, orchestrated,
ordered, organized, oriented, originated, overhauled, oversaw
P
paid, participated, passed, patterned, penalized, perceived, performed,
permitted, persuaded, phased, out, pinpointed, pioneered, placed,
planned, polled, prepared, presented, preserved, presided, prevented,
priced, printed, prioritized, probed, processed, procured, produced,
profiled, programmed, projected, promoted, prompted, proposed, proved,
provided, publicized, published, purchased, pursued
Q
quantified, quoted
R
raised, ranked, rated, reacted, read, received, recommended, reconciled,
recorded, recovered, recruited, rectified, redesigned, reduced,
referred, refined, regained, regulated, rehabilitated, reinforced,
reinstated, rejected, related, remedied, remodeled, renegotiated,
reorganized, replaced, repaired, reported, represented, requested,
researched, resolved, responded, restored, restructured, resulted,
retained, retrieved, revamped, revealed, reversed, reviewed, revised,
revitalized, rewarded, routed
S
safeguarded, salvaged, saved, scheduled, screened, secured, segmented,
selected, sent, separated, served, serviced, settled, shaped, shortened,
showed, shrank, signed, simplified, sold, solved, spearheaded,
specified, speculated, spoke, spread, stabilized, staffed, staged,
standardized, steered, stimulated, strategized, streamlined,
strengthened, stressed, structured, studied, submitted, substantiated,
substituted, suggested, summarized, superseded, supervised, supplied,
supported, surpassed, surveyed, synchronized, synthesized, systematized
T
tabulated, tailored, targeted, taught, terminated, tested, testified,
tightened, took, traced, traded, trained, transacted, transferred,
transformed, translated, transported, traveled, treated, tripled
U
uncovered, undertook, unified, united, updated, upgraded, used, utilized
V
validated, valued, verified, viewed, visited
W
weighed, welcomed, widened, witnessed, won, worked, wrote
A
accelerated, acclimated, accompanied, accomplished, achieved, acquired,
acted, activated, actuated, adapted, added, addressed, adhered,
adjusted, administered, admitted, adopted, advanced, advertised,
advised, advocated, aided, aired, affected, allocated, altered, amended,
amplified, analyzed, answered, anticipated, appointed, appraised,
approached, approved, arbitrated, arranged, ascertained, asked,
assembled, assigned, assumed, assessed, assisted, attained, attracted,
audited, augmented, authored, authorized, automated, awarded, avail
B
balanced, bargained, borrowed, bought, broadened, budgeted, built
C
calculated, canvassed, capitalized, captured, carried, out, cast,
cataloged, centralized, challenged, chaired, changed, channeled,
charted, checked, chose, circulated, clarified, classified, cleared,
closed, co-authored, cold, called, collaborated, collected, combined,
commissioned, committed, communicated, compared, compiled, complied,
completed, composed, computed, conceived, conceptualized, concluded,
condensed, conducted, conferred, consolidated, constructed, consulted,
contracted, contrasted, contributed, contrived, controlled, converted,
convinced, coordinated, corrected, corresponded, counseled, counted,
created, critiqued, cultivated
D
debugged, decided, decentralized, decreased, deferred, defined,
delegated, delivered, demonstrated, depreciated, described, designated,
designed, determined, developed, devised, devoted, diagrammed, directed,
disclosed, discounted, discovered, dispatched, displayed, dissembled,
distinguished, distributed, diversified, divested, documented, doubled,
drafted
E
earned, eased, edited, effected, elected, eliminated, employed, enabled,
encouraged, endorsed, enforced, engaged, engineered, enhanced, enlarged,
enriched, entered, entertained, established, estimated, evaluated,
examined, exceeded, exchanged, executed, exempted, exercised, expanded,
expedited, explained, exposed, extended, extracted, extrapolated
F
facilitated, familiarized, fashioned, fielded, figured, financed, fit,
focused, forecasted, formalized, formed, formulated, fortified, found,
founded, framed, fulfilled, functioned, furnished,
G
gained, gathered, gauged, gave, generated, governed, graded, granted,
greeted, grouped, guided
H
handled, headed, hired, hosted
I
identified, illustrated, illuminated, implemented, improved, improvised,
inaugurated, indoctrinated, increased, incurred, induced, influenced,
informed, initiated, innovated, inquired, inspected, inspired,
installed, instigated, instilled, instituted, instructed, insured,
interfaced, interpreted, interviewed, introduced, invented, inventoried,
invested, investigated, invited, involved, isolated, issued
J
joined, judged,
L
launched, lectured, led, lightened, liquidated, litigated, lobbied,
localized, located
M
maintained, managed, mapped, marketed, maximized, measured, mediated,
merchandised, merged, met, minimized, modeled, moderated, modernized,
modified, monitored, motivated, moved, multiplied
N
named, narrated, negotiated, noticed, nurtured
O
observed, obtained, offered, offset, opened, operated, orchestrated,
ordered, organized, oriented, originated, overhauled, oversaw
P
paid, participated, passed, patterned, penalized, perceived, performed,
permitted, persuaded, phased, out, pinpointed, pioneered, placed,
planned, polled, prepared, presented, preserved, presided, prevented,
priced, printed, prioritized, probed, processed, procured, produced,
profiled, programmed, projected, promoted, prompted, proposed, proved,
provided, publicized, published, purchased, pursued
Q
quantified, quoted
R
raised, ranked, rated, reacted, read, received, recommended, reconciled,
recorded, recovered, recruited, rectified, redesigned, reduced,
referred, refined, regained, regulated, rehabilitated, reinforced,
reinstated, rejected, related, remedied, remodeled, renegotiated,
reorganized, replaced, repaired, reported, represented, requested,
researched, resolved, responded, restored, restructured, resulted,
retained, retrieved, revamped, revealed, reversed, reviewed, revised,
revitalized, rewarded, routed
S
safeguarded, salvaged, saved, scheduled, screened, secured, segmented,
selected, sent, separated, served, serviced, settled, shaped, shortened,
showed, shrank, signed, simplified, sold, solved, spearheaded,
specified, speculated, spoke, spread, stabilized, staffed, staged,
standardized, steered, stimulated, strategized, streamlined,
strengthened, stressed, structured, studied, submitted, substantiated,
substituted, suggested, summarized, superseded, supervised, supplied,
supported, surpassed, surveyed, synchronized, synthesized, systematized
T
tabulated, tailored, targeted, taught, terminated, tested, testified,
tightened, took, traced, traded, trained, transacted, transferred,
transformed, translated, transported, traveled, treated, tripled
U
uncovered, undertook, unified, united, updated, upgraded, used, utilized
V
validated, valued, verified, viewed, visited
W
weighed, welcomed, widened, witnessed, won, worked, wrote
Building your resume.
Building Your Resume.
By Tom Warren
Imagine yourself in an America whose unemployment rate is 0%, now slowly bring yourself back to reality. With our nations unemployment rate at a steady 9.5 percent (According to the July, 2010 report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics) a lot of those who are unemployed feel helpless, especially those of you who are in states with unemployment rates reaching over 13%. You start asking yourself, how will I pay for my mortgage, my rent, food, gas, and the list goes on.
So many people have been laid off or terminated from jobs which they worked for most of their lives. Being thrown into the pool of unemployment can be a frightening, and belittling feeling. Where do I start? How do I market myself as a dependable asset to a company with limited skills? The era of getting a job on a promise and a handshake has come and gone. The resume now reins supreme.
Resume: A document that portrays a persons skills, abilities, previous work experience, qualifications and education. Seems easy enough, right? Wrong! On a daily basis anywhere from 30-100 resumes come across my desk; of that number maybe 5 are worth the cost of the paper they are printed on. That leaves the rest getting a one way ticket to your local landfill. The question now is how do I get into that five and not the garbage can. There are a million ways to get into that five and a million and one ways to shoot yourself in the foot. The number one problem most job seekers have with their resumes is content. Either they overwhelm the reader with an abundance of information, or they lack enough content to properly display their abilities. These are both sure fire ways of decreasing your chances of getting an interview. So where is the happy medium?
One of the largest debates I run into with resumes is the length or number of pages it should be. There is an answer to this question for those who are looking for it. And the answer is…it all depends. There are some work arenas that call for extensive information of your background. For instance, a job that is higher than entry level, but below an executive level can be two pages. Jobs that require you to display technical backgrounds including engineering or other related fields can be two pages. When an employer asks for references, this should be done on a second page. These are just a few examples of when a second page can come into play. My opinion on this subject, keep it to a single page. My experience and research into this question has found that the average employer takes anywhere from 15-45 seconds reading a resume. If you find one of those hiring managers that is in the 15-25 second category. You can say goodbye to page two ever being seen, let alone read.
Here are some quick pointers when creating or editing your resume.
1) Redundancy wastes spaces. Using the same words over and over is boring and a space killer.
2) Be sure to engage the reader.
3) Use action words/verbs like championed, generated, spearheaded etc...
4) Create a format that is appealing to the eye. Don't be a plain resume in a stack of plain resumes.
5) PROOF READ YOUR RESUME!
Check back later (And for those of you who are looking at this in the future) see my links and posts for more ways to create an interview winning resume!
By Tom Warren
Imagine yourself in an America whose unemployment rate is 0%, now slowly bring yourself back to reality. With our nations unemployment rate at a steady 9.5 percent (According to the July, 2010 report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics) a lot of those who are unemployed feel helpless, especially those of you who are in states with unemployment rates reaching over 13%. You start asking yourself, how will I pay for my mortgage, my rent, food, gas, and the list goes on.
So many people have been laid off or terminated from jobs which they worked for most of their lives. Being thrown into the pool of unemployment can be a frightening, and belittling feeling. Where do I start? How do I market myself as a dependable asset to a company with limited skills? The era of getting a job on a promise and a handshake has come and gone. The resume now reins supreme.
Resume: A document that portrays a persons skills, abilities, previous work experience, qualifications and education. Seems easy enough, right? Wrong! On a daily basis anywhere from 30-100 resumes come across my desk; of that number maybe 5 are worth the cost of the paper they are printed on. That leaves the rest getting a one way ticket to your local landfill. The question now is how do I get into that five and not the garbage can. There are a million ways to get into that five and a million and one ways to shoot yourself in the foot. The number one problem most job seekers have with their resumes is content. Either they overwhelm the reader with an abundance of information, or they lack enough content to properly display their abilities. These are both sure fire ways of decreasing your chances of getting an interview. So where is the happy medium?
One of the largest debates I run into with resumes is the length or number of pages it should be. There is an answer to this question for those who are looking for it. And the answer is…it all depends. There are some work arenas that call for extensive information of your background. For instance, a job that is higher than entry level, but below an executive level can be two pages. Jobs that require you to display technical backgrounds including engineering or other related fields can be two pages. When an employer asks for references, this should be done on a second page. These are just a few examples of when a second page can come into play. My opinion on this subject, keep it to a single page. My experience and research into this question has found that the average employer takes anywhere from 15-45 seconds reading a resume. If you find one of those hiring managers that is in the 15-25 second category. You can say goodbye to page two ever being seen, let alone read.
Here are some quick pointers when creating or editing your resume.
1) Redundancy wastes spaces. Using the same words over and over is boring and a space killer.
2) Be sure to engage the reader.
3) Use action words/verbs like championed, generated, spearheaded etc...
4) Create a format that is appealing to the eye. Don't be a plain resume in a stack of plain resumes.
5) PROOF READ YOUR RESUME!
Check back later (And for those of you who are looking at this in the future) see my links and posts for more ways to create an interview winning resume!
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