Your Resume Is Not Your Autobiography
It can be a tedious and confusing task to try and figure out what information is appropriate to include in a resume. After all, it makes sense to want to highlight all the wonderful things about you, your life and your experiences in hopes of standing out in the crowd of other candidates vying for the same position. The job market is better than it was 8 years ago but the competition is still stiff out there and its wise to want to put your best foot forward. You only get one chance to make a great first impression and your resume is often your first impression. That being said, you must remember that there is a limit to what you put in your resume. You want to put the necessary information in there but you want to avoid throwing in the kitchen sink. As a recruiter, I see this mistake time and time again. Your resume is your resume....your resume is not your autobiography.
This notion may seem contrary to what you think about resumes. It would seem that an employer would want to know everything about you before taking the risk to hire you. That seems logical, but you must think about it from the employers perspective as it relates to time and resources. According to national averages, during the lifespan of any given job posting, at least 170 people or more will apply. The company's recruiter (me) is tasked with reviewing all of these resumes and narrowing the field to a more manageable number of qualified applicants. If the recruiter has to wade through that many resumes for one single job, he/she is likely spending an average of maybe 30 seconds looking at each before making a decision and moving onto the next one. That may not seem like a long time....and its not....but that is the fact. While that recruiter is trying to make the right decision and wants to know what you have to offer the company, there is just not enough time in the day to go through each resume with a fine-tooth comb. Therefore, its best to only put the most pertinent information in your resume. Include only the information that is relevant to the job posting. I can assure you that your 10 year membership to Sam's Club and the sports your children play will not feature in their decision to move forward with you in the hiring process.
If you want a resume that will truly stand out in a crowd, the best thing to do is to include only the items that will show the recruiter how you can add value to the position and to the company. For example, if the position requires budgetary experience, make sure you highlight any instance where you had successful budgeting experience and present it in a way that will apply to their needs. This will require you to read through the job description and perhaps do a bit of company research, but it will pay off. Also, make sure you are placing these experiences in the most visible part of your resume...which is at the top. As a recruiter who often views 150-200 resumes for a position, I can tell you I want to know how your experience will add value to my company and I want to see that information early in the resume; I don't want to have to dig for it. Organizing your resume in a manner that is free of clutter, easy to read and has valuable information will say a lot more about you than how fast you ran the 40 yard dash in high school.
If you have any questions or if you need help building your resume, please feel free to contact Lexington Resume Solutions.