While most of the readings talked about the basics of how to write a good resume/cover letter, they all seemed the same to me. The readings that did strike me though were the accounts of the actual recruiters and how they look at resumes and decide who gets an interview and who doesn't get a second look.
What I got from these readings was the importance of making your resume stand out among the countless other resumes recruiters read daily and to sell yourself for the job. However the readings also showed the importance of not only standing out, but making sure the recruiters can see what makes you stand out very quickly. That first thirty seconds while the recruiter scans your resume may be your only chance to show the company what you can offer them, and why you are the ideal candidate for the job.
The readings had many great tips for making sure your resume stands out, especially the readings from actual recruiters. The tip that struck me as the most important wasn't, using strong verbs, or quantifying your experience. It was to think like a HR representative while you are writing your resume. Think about how they are going to look at your resume and how the information on it will show them that you can fill the job they have open. This relates very well back to the first reading we had which told us to consider our audiences. By realizing your resume's primary reader is a recruiter, it makes it clear the best way to get yourself past the first cut is to sell yourself to your employer as best you can. The quote from the end of "Skeptical Resume Reader Tells How He Really Thinks" really summed up the most important tips they gave me. "If you recognize that it's my perception and not your intention that controls the fate of your resume, we'll get along fine. Show me how I can use you. Sell me only what you're prepared to deliver. Go ahead, make me an offer I can't refuse."
This quote shows how important it is to know your audience and how to make a good resume. While your objective, education, job experience, and relevant skills are all important, it wont matter how well written it is, or how qualified you are if your resume doesn't stand out in the first thirty seconds. It seems much more important to make sure your resume will stand out to recruiters, and that it shows how you will fulfill the job requirements and help the company.
Put Yourself in the Readers Shoes
After I read these readings, my first impression was also that I needed to put myself in the recruiter's shoes. It sounds like a really good idea, to only put what the recruiter will want to see. After thinking about it for a while however, I realized that it is near impossible to figure out what the recruiter will be looking for. Every recruiter will have their own system for looking at resumes. Because of this, you can't just focus on certain sections and leave others out. You never know what the person receiving your resume will want to look at first, especially in the 30 second review you get before the first cut. It is important to make sure that you cover all your bases to ensure that no matter what section the recruiter finds important, they will like your resume enough to put it through to the second round.
Impossible To Think Like HR
I also believe that it is impossible to be able to predict how your recruiter is going to look at your resume. There are far too many variables that come into play. So unless you have gotten a doctorate in psychology with a minor in Human Resources, you will not be able to guess at how the recruiter will view your resume. Just as you said Bill, it is best to cover all of your bases. Make sure to pay equal attention to every part of your resume. This will give you the greatest chances of catering to the recruiter that is going over your resume.
Design for the recruiter
It seems many students are posting similar responses, at least in regard to your opening argument. Everyone is pretty much tired of hearing the same advice, or rather a spamming of conflicting advice about the same thing; how to prepare a resume. In her “10 questions, 10 different answers” post, Kristin makes a valid point, that “unless the advice is from someone directly within the company to which I’m applying, I’m tempted to disregard 90% of the advice I’m given.” This idea likely applies to the majority of us, be it in our best interest or not. One thing, however, that will always apply and prove beneficial is “to think like a HR representative while you are writing your resume,” as you mentioned above. I don’t imagine that there is a time when an individual was at a disadvantage in being considered for a position for having drafted his or her resume with the employer’s interest in mind.
The one thing that I gained
The one thing that I gained and that stood out to me from reading the articles about drafting resumes was the importance of making your resume scream out to the recruiter when they first take a glance at it. This to me means having a resume that is clear to read, a resume that list all the appropriate parts in it, and a resume that uses powerful verbs that grab the readers attention. Each any every resume that one gives out to employers need to be tailored to the specific position, it should be obvious that the person submitting the resume has studied the job position and the needed skills and knowledge it takes to be great at the job. Also one needs to be sure they study their own resume in depth enough that they can elaborate and go into great detail about every single part of it in the interview.