How long or detailed should my resume be? How should it look?
By Mandar Erande | Monday, March 16, 2015
These are some of the most common questions that I was asked while I was recruiting. Mostly by the candidates who did not get into the second or even the first round of interviews. Job seekers attribute a lot of imp to the resume size & looks alone, but what really is the case? Yes, if you are getting repeated and continuous rejections for jobs similar to those that you have been performing in the past, then your resume may need some professional changes.
There some key points to consider.
Is your resume providing the information that the recruiter /client wants to get? Is it communicating your candidature as the ideal or most suitable candidate for the role? Does it bring out your experience and educational track record? Is it addressing the selection criteria? These are the real Qs that one should be considering. There is no right size of resume that fits all candidates. No, there are no strict rules in Australian context that resume normally needs to be only 1 or 2 pages long.
While the 3 or 4 page format is ideal, I have also seen resumes that are like 7 to 9 pages long. I would say they rarely got read in all their detail, word for word. Opposite to that extreme is that is a resume too short or even kept to 1 page to keep it small in size, but that doesn’t do any justice to a candidate’s profile, unless they really are a total newcomer or fresher into the industry. Some candidates just squeeze the information and reduce font size, to make everything fit!
While the new formatting, adding pictures, logos and using an info graphic content may be the ‘in thing’, it may not be suitable or required for all type of professionals to do this sort of resume styling. The look and feel of the resume should be suitable and identical to that which is the standard style within your industry. Resume's that stand out, do get repeated views, but do they essentially get you shortlisted? An industrial designer, graphic artist or architect can probably use more pictures or graphics/images compared to other professions.
While ideally your resume should be succinct, it should cover all the information about your candidature. Whatever the resume type, chronological, bio-data, info graphic or generalist essay, does it do full justice to your candidature? A good looking unique resume is of no use if it stands out, but fails to achieve its objective. Does it represent you properly and professionally? Does it highlight your skills, experience and strengths? Would it make easier for the decision makers to evaluate you as job seeker in terms of the key criteria of the role? A good resume is a resume that works.