RESUME: 1.2

RESUME: 1.2

[Tips by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)]

Here’s what employers think about resumes, cover letters and thank you notes, according to a survey released by the Society for Human Resource Management. 

i. Two-thirds of hirers want chronological resumes listing your work history and education in reverse order. Four in 10 like bulleted formats. 

ii. Nearly nine in 10 want your resume tailored to the job or industry. No one size fits all.

iii. About one-third of government hirers said it’s a mistake to lack a cover letter, but only one-fifth of private-industry hirers would miss it.

iv. A good cover letter, if welcome, emphasises how you fit the job requirements and tells why you want to work in a certain organisation.

v. If you were fired or laid off, nearly eight in 10 hirers think you should explain that in a job interview.

vi. Gaps in your work history? About half said you don’t need to draw attention to or hide them. Just state facts, just the way they stand.

vii. Sixty-eight per cent of hirers prefer to get resumes through their websites. Email, job boards, postal mail and applicant tracking systems are less preferred.

viii. Human resource professionals said they spent less than five minutes per resume to decide whether an applicant proceeded further.

ix. Heavy use of applicant screening software means your resume must include key words from the job posting.

x. The biggest resume mistakes are grammatical and spelling errors and missing job history details or dates.

xi. Six in 10 think a thank you note is important after an interview. Make sure you send it. Half prefer emailed notes.

xii. As always, try to use personal contacts to discern what your target employer prefers. Opinions differ from organisation to organisation. There is no one way.

[to be continued...]