Some things to think about, in this edition of Sunday Reads

The notion of a ‘perfect’ resume is subjective. It depends on your industry, your years of work experience and whether you will use it for academic or non-academic purposes. An academic resume can be 5-6 pages long whereas an industry-related resume must be 1-3 pages.

Here are some pointers that one can keep in mind:

1. Tailor your resume, but keep a master document with all of your previous positions and accomplishments listed.

2. Allude to your latest work first, and then list your jobs in reverse chronological order, but feel free to deviate and make changes when necessary. Say you have taken a break for personal reasons, and your second last job stint is more prominent. List that first.

3. Ensure that your resume and Linkedin profile complement each other. They should not read the same.

4. For your work experience, whittle it down to the most important points. The more quantifiable, the better.?

5. Your responsibilities matter, but so do your achievements. Use this opportunity to demonstrate not just what was asked of you, but also what you ended up achieving in each role.

6. Do not skip non-traditional work experience on your resume. If the work experience has taught you valuable things, make sure you highlight those.

7. Avoid putting polarizing interests on your resume. You may have spent your summer campaigning or canvassing for a certain political candidate. This could be reflective of a very strong work ethic, but if the organization does not align with your political beliefs, this could be held against you. If you still feel strongly, put it in your resume but be aware of the consequences.

Have questions for me? Write to me at [email protected]. I look forward to hearing from you!