Resumes are still stupid in 2023.

Resumes are stupid – and I’m sure I’m not the only one that believes that. They’re a source of frustration for both the employer and the employee. Unfortunately, society isn’t ready for a sans-resume workplace and it still plays an important part in day-to-day hiring… even with all of the technological solutions of today that should render it obsolete.

We’ve seen a lot of layoffs lately, but you don't need a layoff to make sure your resume/CV has been updated. You may be dissatisfied in your current role or open to a conversation about what's next. You may just want a place to keep track of your professional journey. Regardless of your reason, I've listed out some of the top tips and tricks for a post-COVID age resume below.

Big Picture

Let's start with the big picture -- what is the purpose of the resume? The main goal of your resume is to give an honest and accurate reflection of what you've done and what you're passionate about/who you are while also getting a hiring manager or recruiter to say, "yes, I'd like to speak with this person" as quickly as possible.

Pro tip: Think of the resume as a "taste test" - you're not giving someone all the answers to everything about you, just an accurate snapshot or "taster" of who you are.

CONTENT

Keep it simple

• You don't have to tell us every specific thing you've done on your resume but keep it short and sweet. In fact, it's okay if there's a little vagueness on the resume… it might even give the manager some prompts for questions they might have for you.

NO. MORE. OBJECTIVES.

• This will sound impersonal, but when you've got someone's attention for ~7 seconds, you need to keep it brief and direct.
• You'd be surprised how many resumes I see that still have an "objective" -- a short intro paragraph that tells people what you're looking for. Get rid of it. Managers and recruiters are initially looking for a specific skill set and are focused on qualifying your skill set when they’re reviewing a resume.
• Your objective is something that should be discussed in an interview, not on the resume.

Numbers talk

• Numbers speak VOLUMES. If there's one reason to keep your resume/CV updated even if you're not looking for a job, it's to keep track of numbers and the success you've had over the years (ESPECIALLY in a sales or marketing role where data is king).

Accomplishments > Duties

• In the same breath as "numbers talk", accomplishments in your role will always speak volumes more than just listing out your job duties/what you did. I know what you're saying though… "But Greg, if I did my job, isn't that accomplishing my job duty??" Yes, but there's a difference. Here's a quick example -- which of these two would you pick to interview first?

1. "I sold software solutions to tech startups in the northeast."
2. "I've driven over $10 million in revenue for [insert company's] software solution to tech startups in the northeast."

There's a difference between telling someone what your job was versus what you made an impact on.

Optimize your resume

• If you're submitting your resume and application to an ATS that is automatically scanning and sorting through hundreds of thousands of resumes, you'll want to optimize the text on your resume to fit the job you're interested in. This might sound tedious, but it's simple in practice.
• If an extra 5 minutes for each application would increase your chances of getting that first conversation (and therefore increase your chances of getting the job) by 20% or more, would you do it? If you're in need of a role or the role is a dream role of yours, then yes, you should do it. This could include using some of the verbiages that the job description has, or even that the company website has.
• If you had to pick between writing a cover letter and tailoring your resume, I’d recommend tailoring the resume.

There are typos, and then there are "typos"

• Typos happen… but be careful they don't happen on your resume. Grammarly and other word processing tools can help with misspellings, but you also need a few sets of eyes to go through the one page - go through it with a fine-tooth comb and make sure you haven't spelled "their" when you meant to spell "there".

FORMATTING

Resume Structure

• Don't overthink how you're formatting the resume. I've certainly got opinions on how it should be formatted (in order start with your contact info, then skills, then experience, then education) but that's all it is - an opinion and if I see a resume that doesn't fit that structure, I don't mind one bit.

File type matters

• You'll always want to send your resume as a PDF file for a few reasons; it can't be edited (someone can't accidentally delete experience as they are passing it to other people) and the formatting won't change.
• We've all seen the word document where there is one extra space, and it throws everything off… don't be that guy. I'll pass on a resume that I can't read quickly and efficiently.?(This is why LinkedIn and Indeed have a standard format for everyone… you know what to look for and can quickly locate important information.)

NETWORKING

Build your network

• Find people who you are close to who can be a second or third pair of eyes when you're updating your resume and let them jump in and share suggestions or thoughts.
• Build a separate list of people with whom you can send out an updated resume when you're looking for a role; make it easy for them and send them an email with "Here's my resume and here's what I'm looking for" with your resume attached as a PDF.
• Keep in touch with the people on this list; try and touch base with them quarterly at a minimum, even if it's just s short text or email. These are your professional allies and you'll want to keep up with what they are doing and keep them updated with what you're doing.

Adding "extra-curricular" things to your resume

• There are mixed views on this, but generally, this can be a positive addition to your resume if done well. Are you an Eagle Scout? A black belt? A mom? A fly fisher? Each one of those adds instant credibility in its own unique way, and allows the person looking at your resume to see you as more than just a bunch of words on paper - it adds a little personality to your resume. It's perfectly fine to show some personality on the resume… as long as it's relevant and not distracting.

Update your LinkedIn/social platforms

• Once you're done building your resume, go to LinkedIn and make sure that it's accurate and consistent with what you've got on your resume. It's a major red flag if what you have on your LinkedIn profile doesn't match up with your resume (especially if you're active, but even if you aren't, consistency builds credibility).

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Hopefully, you'll find these tips and tricks helpful as you're looking at updating/revamping your resume. There are TONS of resources out there to help with building your resume if you need it - formatting if you don't like starting with a blank Word or Google doc, Grammarly is a great grammar tool, but even more comprehensive tools like Zety or VisualCV. There are even AI bots that help build resumes by asking you a few questions.

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Your digital presence is as important as your in-person presence in this post-COVID, remotely global work environment. Look out for my next post soon on how interviewing and communicating in the post-COVID age has changed how we work together as well as how we interview and connect with each other.

Cheers!!

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I’m Greg Steward and I love connecting people with roles that help them achieve their goals while finding win-win situations for teams around the world.

Gallup tells us that only 32% of employees are engaged in their work (as of a 2022 study)… that leaves 68% disengaged, costing billions of dollars from an employer perspective and even more time and energy from an employee perspective.

What would a world look like where we’ve got higher engagement at work? I think it looks like a lot of things – it looks like people enjoying their lives, having higher engagement at work AND at home, and having more energy to invest in their communities.?