One of the common questions people ask is how to get their resume into shape so they can post it or use it in various networking situations. They are especially stressed because they have heard that the majority of employers spend less than five minutes reviewing a resume. According to a Career Builder Survey, 48% of employers spend less than two (2) minutes looking at resumes. Yikes!
Don’t lie on your resume!
In an effort to stand out, many job seekers make some pretty startling blunders in drafting their resumes. A variety of hiring managers provided Career Builder with some examples of what NOT to do when writing your resume:
- Applicant claimed to be a former CEO at the company to which he was applying.
- Applicant claimed to be bilingual. One of his two languages was Pig Latin.
- Applicant wrote “whorehouse” instead of “warehouse” when describing his former position.
- Applicant’s personal website linked to a porn site.
- Applicant claimed to have attended a college which did not exist.
- Applicant for a position as a driver claimed to have 10 years of experience but had only had a driver’s license for four (4) years.
Clearly, these examples are somewhat silly and perhaps amusing, but they do drive home the point that honesty is the only way to go. According to the Career Builders survey, more than half (56%) of employers discovered a lie on a resume. And several clients have told me that they were let go from a new position when it was discovered after they were hired that they had lied on their resume.
What do employers really want on a resume?
In addition to honesty, employers want to review a resume that…
… is customized for their open position (61%)
… is accompanied by a cover letter (49%)
… is addressed to the hiring manager or recruiter by their name (26%)
… includes links to the applicant’s online portfolio, blog or website (21%)
Your resume can help establish a good first impression
In most cases, your resume is the first impression recruiters and prospective employers consider during the hiring process. That’s why it’s so important that what you include on the resume establishes your integrity as well as your qualifications.
If you’d like more help with your resume, please contact Judi Lansky at jlansky@lanskycareerconsultants.com.
