Resume Tips for the Conservative Girl

By Ashley Sugar

We all dread making our resume, but it’s necessary if you want to land your dream job or any job for that matter. A lot goes into creating and curating a resume, from the content to the formatting to the little details; sometimes, it can be overwhelming. While the internet has plenty of examples, we’ve compiled our best tips for a flawless CV presentation. It’s time to take your resume to the next level.

Proofread, Proofread, Proofread!

Proofreading your resume is extremely important. Employers look for mistakes and will disqualify your candidacy over a simple grammatical error, regardless of your experience. Your resume serves as a representation of you, and in many cases, it is the only deciding factor in extending an invitation to interview. A resume riddled with grammatical errors sends the message that you aren’t detail-oriented, careless, and don’t want the job enough to read through your resume carefully. Proofreading seems like an easy task, but we are all human and make mistakes. To tackle proofreading, read it out loud by yourself, put it through a grammar checker, like Grammarly, and then have a friend read it at minimum. It is also a great idea to reach out to a school career counselor or a professional network connection to have them read it as well. The more people read your resume, the more confident you can be in its quality. 

Update it Monthly

Procrastination gets us all, but you never want to rush a resume. Resumes take time to refine and perfect. You may never know when a job opportunity may arise. When a new door opens, it will be that much easier to apply if you have a great resume already ready to go. Start the habit of spending five minutes updating and checking over your resume monthly. This way, you are always prepared. Updating your resume frequently saves you time and a headache. Also, the less time you have to take to correct and rewrite your resume, the more time you can spend tailoring your resume to the job you’re applying for.

Keep It Simple and Clean

With social media, expressing yourself through fashion, beauty, and social media profiles has become very popular, but your resume is not meant as a creative outlet. Unless you are applying for a very creative job, such as a graphic designer or artist position, your resume should be sleek, professional, and timeless. The resume is not going out of style anytime soon. You want your resume to be as easy as possible for a potential future employer to read. This means a readable font that does not require a magnifying glass and clear organization. Keep it traditional with a simple and classic font, such as Times New Roman, and predictable sub-sections, such as education, professional experience, skills, and certifications. If you want to add a little bit of character to your resume, add a line or two to help break up the sections, but don’t go crazy. A line dedicated to your interests aside from relevant employment background also can add a pop of color, so you’re not perceived as a robot. You want to mimic the gold standard of resumes, not reinvent the wheel. Your university career office could be a great resource to find examples.

Watch the Length 

A resume should be short and direct. No recruiter wants to read five pages, including experiences from high school. Even if you have terrific achievements from ten years ago, it’s best to keep it fresh and relevant. I struggled with the length of my resume. The solution is to commit to one page. Tailor your resume to reflect the most relevant and recent experience applicable to the job you’re applying for. I have found this method extremely helpful. Summarizing your possible ten plus years of job experience into a page is a skill that your employer will look for. Whether you like it or not, resume-making tests your ability to synthesize large amounts of information into a concise, condensed single sheet. The resume is a test within itself- don’t fail!

Provide Contact Information, but Use it to Your Advantage

Every resume header should include your name and contact information. However, what contact information you choose to provide is up to you. Your email address is probably a must, but make sure it is professional. A recruiter is not going to be keen on emailing purplekitty3000@gmail.com for an interview. Your phone number is a great option as well. Here is the tricky party-- your address. Include your address if it works in your favor. By this, I mean if you are applying for a job relatively close to where you are located. However, if you are looking to move to Washington DC or another state, it may be best to leave it out, so you are not automatically disqualified. Not all employers pay attention to this or care, but leaving an address out may help you secure a job out of state after a fantastic interview leaves them in awe of you. Relocation typically requires more time and additional cost, so leaving your address out of the resume could circumnavigate the process.

Don’t be Afraid to Name Drop

Name dropping is generally frowned upon in the professional world, but your resume is the one place to do it. Of course, you should only do this if you have worked with or for a high-profile company or individual. Name-dropping important clients you have worked with will be eye-catching on your resume. A Goldman Sachs analyst is interesting, but a Goldman Sachs Analyst that managed the portfolio of Airbnb is all the more interesting. 

Let the numbers do the talking

If you’re applying for a position in the business or financial world, you will want to have some basic stats that outline your previous performance. Numbers jump out to recruiters on a resume and help sell the experience you claim to have. A recruiter is far more likely to be interested in someone who “grew revenue by 25%” than someone who just “grew revenue.” Stats are your best friend; they add context and validity to your resume, and if you have them, use them.

GPA

This is a big one that a lot of people struggle with. If your GPA is above a 3.5, keep it on your resume. If it isn’t, leave it off (unless you’re in a very difficult major like STEM). A recruiter will likely dismiss a resume with great experience but poor academic performance. However, by not stating your GPA, you could at least get a shot at an interview and be given the opportunity to explain your GPA or wow the recruiter with your charm and charisma.

Photo Via Domino Magazine