Read on if you want to create the perfect resume
Are you asking yourself any of these questions?

How long should my resume be?

How can I fit all my experience on one page?

What can I eliminate and what should be highlighted?

If you are, you’re not alone. As millions of workers update their resumes, one of the top concerns is length. Not long ago, job seekers followed the resume golden rule: No resume should exceed one page. However, today’s job seekers are finding that rule no longer applies. Furthermore, there is conflicting advice from books, counsellors, hiring managers and well-meaning friends.

The solution is simple: Use common sense. If you are just graduating, have less than five years of work experience or are contemplating a complete career change, a one-page resume will probably suffice. Some technical and executive candidates require multiple-page documents. If you have more than five years of experience and a track record of accomplishments, you will need at least two pages to tell your story.

It is not an autobiography

Don’t confuse telling your story with creating your autobiography. Employers are inundated with resumes and are faced with the daunting task of weeding out the good from the bad. The first step involves quickly skimming through and eliminating candidates who are clearly not qualified. Therefore, your resume needs to pass the skim test. Ask yourself:

Can a hiring manager see my main credentials within 10 to 15 seconds?

Does critical information jump off the page, grabbing the reader’s attention?

Do I effectively sell myself on the top quarter of the first page?

If you answered yes to all of these questions, you’re in good shape. If you answered no to any of these, read on.

The sales pitch

Because resumes are quickly skimmed during the first pass, it is crucial your resume gets right to work selling your credentials. Your key selling points need to be prominently displayed at the top of the first page. If an MBA degree is important in your career field, your education shouldn’t be buried at the end of a four-page resume.

An effective way to showcase your key qualifications is to include a career summary statement at the top of the first page. On your Monster.com resume, use the objective section to relay your top qualifications. The remainder of the resume should back up the statements made in your summary.

Use an editor’s eye

Many workers are proud of their careers and feel the information on a resume should reflect all they’ve accomplished. However, the resume shouldn’t contain every detail of your career. It should only include the information that will help you land an interview.

So be brutal. If your college days are far behind you, does it really matter that you pledged a fraternity or delivered pizza? Editing will be difficult if you are holding on to your past for emotional reasons. If this is the case, show your resume to a professional resume writer for an objective opinion.

Eight tips to keep it short

Avoid repeating information. Focus on your accomplishments in each position.

Eliminate old experience. If you have a long career history, focus on the last 10 to 15 years.

Don’t include irrelevant information. Avoid listing hobbies and personal information such as date of birth or marital status. Also eliminate outdated business skills.

Cut down on job duties. Instead, create a paragraph that briefly highlights the scope of your responsibility and then provide a bulleted list of your most impressive accomplishments.

Remove “References available upon request”.

Use a telegraphic writing style. Eliminate personal pronouns and minimise the use of articles when preparing your resume.

Edit unnecessary words.

Customise your resume for your job target. Only include information relevant to your goal. This is particularly important for career changers who need to focus on transferable skills and de-emphasise unrelated career accomplishments.

Sources: The Telegraph (Kolkata, India)