I Will "Lose" Your Résumé

I am an interviewer. I receive hundreds of résumés per year, and I make dozens of interviews. With this qualification in mind, believe me when I tell you everything you have heard about writing a résumé is wrong. If you follow the résumé-writing advice of a typical "career counselor," your application will go into a very thick folder, and I will not call you.

This is not because I am a snob or a jerk. I won't lose your application on purpose. It's just that with so much volume, it takes a lot to get noticed. I could reach into my file blindfolded, and easily describe the résumé I grab at random:

• Single-page, 20lb. white copy paper
• 12-point Times New Roman, single-spaced
• Typical layout:
• Objective
• Employment History
• Education
• "References Available upon Request"

YAWN!

You have one chance -- ONE -- to grab and hold my attention. Let me describe the résumé that makes me pick up the phone.

1. You spent some time and money on it. You used heavy linen résumé paper, probably with a watermark. You customized it for this particular position with this particular company.
2. You focused on content. It is okay to list your whole employment history. In fact, I like to be able to verify the total length of your career. Don't describe what you learned from every position, though. If you're trying to convince me that your volunteer work at the zoo at 16 years old taught you how to effectively manage people, I will laugh out loud.
   
3. You created your own rules to communicate all of your qualifications. I don't care how many pages it is. If it takes ten pages for you to describe your best qualities, then (by all means) take ten pages. Include spreadsheets and charts, if they communicate your successes. Do not include a headshot.
   
4. You followed our rules. Even though I think it's okay to bend résumé tradition, do not skip the steps outlined by my company. If there is an application form, fill it out entirely (even duplicate information). DO NOT say "see résumé" or I will say "see instructions."
5. Don't make me ask for references. I don't have time to hold your hand while you sneak around on your current boss. If I can't talk to your current employer, it shows that you may someday be dishonest with me. Some of the best résumés I've seen include quotations about an applicant, kind of like those on the dust-jacket of a novel. Consider it.
   

Granted, all of this advice is 100% subjective, but I doubt you can screw up by standing out. I'll close with the outline I'd use on my résumé.

1. Page One: Cover Letter, addressed directly to the hiring manager, which encourages the reader to check out two or three specific parts of my packet.
   
2. Page Two: Application Form (if applicable), filled out in entirety. Probably typed.
   
3. Page Three: Résumé Page One: Contact info, Concrete customized objective, and Qualifications in the form of bold, bulleted keywords. I use the whole first page to list my qualifications and describe which parts of my experience and education have contributed to them. These bullets are always prioritized and customized for the individual position.
   
4. Page Four: Résumé Page Two: Employment History. Dates, Position, Company. Period.
   
5. Page Five: Résumé Page Three: Education. Dates, Degree, School. Period.
   
6. Page Six: Résumé Page Four: References. Some complimentary quotation first (from letters of reference) then a list of five professional and five personal references.
7. Pages Seven-plus: Appendix: Include anything that shows concrete performance (relevant test scores, licenses, sales stats, spreadsheets, charts, letters and recommendations, et cetera.)