Many job seekers treat their resume like a work history.
That’s a mistake, says Amy Perrotta, founder of career branding firm Needa Strategy Group. She told Business Insider that resumes should be viewed as marketing documents, not biographies.
The goal is not to list every job you’ve ever had, but to get the recruiter “excited and want to pick up the phone and call,” Perrotta says. Recruiters who work for staffing agencies like Robert Half.
She recommends this template.
Amy Perrotta said resumes should be two to three pages at most. Needa Strategy Group LLC.
Amy Perrotta recommends listing your educational background at the end of your resume. Needa Strategy Group LLC.
structure
Perrotta said resumes should generally be no longer than two to three pages, with the most important information listed first. Someone early in their career may only need one page, she said.
“The ideal length of time varies depending on the stage of your career and profession,” Perrotta said, adding that those working in academia or law, or those with 15 to 20 years of experience, may need a longer period.
She recommends including an objective statement at the beginning of your resume. Please enter a short sentence or the job title of what you are looking for.
Next she suggests: A section highlighting your key areas of expertise that aligns with your job description is followed by a 3-5 sentence professional summary that explains who you are, what you’ve accomplished, and what you’re looking for next. Like the rest of your resume, it should be written in the third person, she said.
“Think of this as a professional elevator pitch,” Perrotta says. “You need to communicate your value right away so your readers keep reading.”
She says education, qualifications, language and other engagements should be at the bottom. However, if the candidate has higher education, such as a master’s degree or certification, those should come after the educational background. name. For example, Ms. Perrotta said her resume would read “Amy Perrotta, PHR” because she has an HR certification.
Content
Perrotta said resumes should reflect a candidate’s past 10 years of experience.
“Recruiters won’t give too much weight to anything from the past 10 years or more,” Perrotta said, adding that if candidates want to include previous experience, they should limit their bullet points to ensure they reflect the main points.
She said the bullet points should include: what you madewhich refers to revenue generated, sales made, or business developed. Also, what you savedImproving processes or efficiencies can yield money, time, or resources. I will explain at the end what you accomplishedThings like promotions, awards, leadership commitments, and other measurable accomplishments.
To start with the first draft, Perrotta said candidates can feed the AI. A list of all the places they’ve worked, their titles, and what they did there.
“While AI is a great tool for overcoming writer’s block and creating structure, the most powerful resumes are still personalized and supported by real, measurable outcomes,” Perrotta added in a follow-up email.
Perrotta said candidates also need to describe the structure of the team they worked on. For example, a bullet point might include working as part of a four-person recruiting team at a Fortune 500 company, collaborating with three procurement specialists, and reporting to a director of recruiting.
Those details would be helpful Recruiters quickly understand whether the organization’s size, hierarchy, and candidate experience match the role they are seeking to fill.