Debunking a Resume Myth!

As the CEO and Founder of Get My Mom a Job, I can assure you I see many, many different types of resumes. Through our resume and cover letter service, I have been exposed to ways to put resumes together that I have never, ever seen before. However, there seems to be a myth that needs to be debunked about resumes: length.

Often we will get requests in our resume service to have a person's resume shrunk to fit onto one page. Here is the deal, and there is no easy to say this: "One page resumes are the worst idea a job seeker can have!" There I have said it, now here is why. Resumes are about speed dating. Yes, getting hired is like going from a handshake to a marriage proposal in a matter of days. However to highlight all that you need to in these uber-competitive times on one page, is not practical nor is it effective.

Myth #1: "HR People do not have the time to wade through a long resume!"

Debunk: True your resume should not be War & Peace. A great resume, with a 10 year history SHOULD be 3 pages long.

Myth #2: "I will tell them all of my experience at the time of the interview!"

Debunk: Fact is and there is no nice way to say it: There is a 99% chance, if you don't give a potential employer enough info, there will not be an interview.

Myth #3: "Resumes are only intended to highlight, not explain!"

Debunk: Wrong, when you are 1 of 3000+ people applying for a position, you better give an employer all the information they need to make it to the next step. You highlight with at least 3 bullet points per job.

Myth #4: "I know I have been at a job for 5 years and have been promoted twice, however a one sentence summary is all they are looking for!"

Debunk: SO Wrong! You have an opportunity to highlight your accomplishments at your job. You really want to try and highlight all you have done with one well-crafted sentence? Resumes connect the dots of success and experience. You are leaving excitement not information up to their imagination.

A resume is your audition. Your time to shine. It is going to be the precursor to a phone or face to face interview. If you are not getting calls or requests, it has everything to do with your resume. STOP focusing on length focus on:

- Style, not old school but new school. Get My Mom a Job is patenting a Resume Standard that converts.

- Substance, make each of the three bullet points connect. Two sentences per bullet point and you can highlight and accentuate all you have achieved.

- Progressive, show you are progressive and with the times. Your resume should have Professional Social Media. If not, you are missing out on so much credibility and opportunity.

- Length, NEVER go past 10 years. I will cover this in a future Resume Myth. However, there is no need to tell an employer what you did in 1988. The last ten years shows what type of an employee you will be for them now. You are NOT the same employee as you were in 1988.

Resumes work. Properly written, formatted, styled, progressive, and creative resumes win. Remember, never take advice from someone worse off than you. Just because your friend did a resume one way, doesn't mean it is effective. Also, take advice from people that are immersed in the employment field. If you follow these steps you will get more interviews and get the job you want and need.

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