Are you sending out resumes, but never hear back? If your content is good, how is your format and style?
Would you try to cut your own hair? Most people wouldn't. Both resume writing and hair styling require advanced and expert skills. A good hairstylist and a good, Career Counselor, will find a style which will bring out your best features, skills and abilities.
So, let me offer some fashion, resume tips...
Less than 5% of North American’s ever receive any formal training in key job-search skills, such as resume writing. Yet, since the average job only lasts 3 years, you will be continually job-searching throughout your career. Understanding the latest resume fashions can help you get noticed and stand out from the crowd.
Let's review, a much misunderstood and oft ignored resume component: the Header. The Header is the first section at the top of your resume, it is your first impression. Similar to having polished shoes, a good quality briefcase or handbag and clean fingernails. While it isn’t as exciting a section as the Education section or the Professional Experience – which would be equivalent to your suit, it is equivalent to your accessories. It is the first impression.
Header Section:
What’s Hot? At least 18-20 font for your name and 14-16 font for the rest of your header. Do you want to irritate the Resume reviewer, if so use font size 6.
What’s Not? Free, cheesy, email address’: Hotmail, Gmail, Yahoo. Guaranteed to make you look broke, young, oblivious, unprofessional. You will position yourself as the “cheap hire.” Use a paid email address. If you are a University student, use your student email address.
Want to be Fashion Forward? Use the modern, phone-number convention: 555.444.444 If you use (604) 678-4357 you have just dated your resume style to 1989.
Resume Derailer: Geographic proximity to a potential job. If you live in a large, metro area like Atlanta, consider whether you should even include your home address. More than 15 or 20 miles from work and you may be eliminated in the pre-screening. Employers want to feel they have access to you 24/7, even if they will never need you to come in at night and turn off the alarm.
Header Styles: What’s Hot? It’s like the LBD Little Black Dress. Consult with a high-volume, Career Counselor who specializes in business clients with career trajectories, like yours. Header styles can be very industry specific. Learn what the standard is in your industry: pyramid, reverse pyramid, centered, asymmetrical etc… How conservative or creative is your industry? This will greatly impact your header and resume style.
Social Media and resume fashions...
What’s Hot? Include your Social Media address’ in your Header. Not using any Social Media for your Job Search, you better start soon, since your competition already is.Otherwise, you will look hopelessly unfashionable. At a minimum, include your LinkedIn address in your Header. All business professionals, should have an online presence.
Want to be Fashion Forward? Use a Vanity, URL for your LinkedIn page and include this URL in your Header? Don’t just use the random assortment of numbers and letters which are the default URL. This is kind of like a custom car tag, or as Canadians’ say “License Plate.” Though, on LI, it is FREE.
Want to be at a Runway Fashion model? Turn your LI URL into a Hyper-link, in Word. That’s right, create a hyper-link. When the HR professional scroll their mouse over the section, it will take them directly to your page and profile. Note: of course this doesn’t work if you are presenting a hard copy of your resume as 10% of candidates do. Though, an online resume and application is the preferred format for 90% of resumes.
Read all of the interview and resume posts from My Career Manager. Stay tuned, for more smoking hot resume fashions....
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Author: © 2009 - All Rights Reserved - Sharon Cohen, MA,CPRP. Global MBA Career Counselor and Career Transition Specialist at Robinson College of Business, GSU. Also, offering Career Counseling and Executive Education.
To read more of my Blog postings go to http://www.mycareermanager.blogspot.com/
In this post you have shared fantastic information about making resume for fashion industries. This all info are very useful for my sister because she is recently completed her fashion designer study.
ReplyDeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteI'm glad my post was useful for your sister. I also assist clients with their resume writing. Feel free to contact me directly for a complimentary intial consult sharonbcohen@bellsouth.net
Best wishes for your job search!