Adrianne Harris, Broadly Speaking
I note each year that the fashions around resume change, this is in part in response to employer and recruiters ideas of what they need to help them assess applicants and determine who to invite to interview, and in part driven by innovative resume writers and switched on applicants.
If you haven’t updated your resume in a while, you might be surprised with some modern resume elements. You don’t need to include all of the fashions, however it’s useful to remember the resume is to help you get to the interview, so your documents should look like they were created in 2018, and not in 1997, 2007 or even 2012.
Content Trends
The trend for 2017 which I don’t see changing in the first half of 2018 is to still have both a “Professional Profile” and a “Key Skills” section at the start of your document. The profile tells me about you and your experience and what you can bring to the role in a neat paragraph.
e.g. A qualified accountant, with over ten years of experience managing reporting and compliance functions across small to medium sized enterprises within the public and commercial sectors…..
The key skills list tells me the main 6 – 8 skills you can bring to the position (which should align to the role you are applying for, and mirror the language used in the job ad – this is known as using keywords, and is critical if your application is reviewed by a recruitment system rather than a person). For example:
- profit/loss analysis and reporting
- risk identification and development of mitigation strategies
- Monitoring multimillion dollar budgets
I am seeing the “Education” section move around a resume. For some roles where the education, training or certifications are a critical component of the role, then they are placed after the key skills section. This allows a recruiter to see at a glance, that you have the right qualifications as required. For other roles, I am seeing this section move towards the end of the resume.
There is no change from the focus on achievements when describing your work experience, and no change in being specific. We can all turn up and provide great customer service, but when “provide customer service to external stakeholders” is listed as a responsibility, it doesn’t tell me much, and doesn’t tell me how effective you were in your role. If you work with customers, tell me how many, and what you do to help them.
E.g., provided information for over 20 products to over 100 external clients per week via telephone and email.
Formatting Trends
The trends in resume formatting has not changed that much over the years, the length of a resume is getting shorter (think 2 – 3 pages), and are much more tailored to each role you are applying for. A couple of years ago a five page resume was pretty standard. Even when I edit CEO resumes, the aim is to convey the relevant information in 3 pages or less. Many State and Federal Government positions are now asking for a 2 page resume, and some teaching positions only need a one page resume. It’s important to read the applicant pack for any position you apply for, as I am seeing a lot more ads identify the length of the resume to be included. If you fail this part of the applicant test, by not adhering to the length limit, you may not be invited to interview (especially if a key criteria is “an eye for detail”).
Can I use tables or text boxes in my resume?
No, the recommendation is to still not use tables or text boxes, they can make applicant tracking systems unable to pick out the information in a table or text box.
Should I put my name and contact information in a header or footer?
No, again, applicant tracking systems do not always pick up this information.
The key fashion for 2018 is to keep it simple, keep it clean, keep it relevant to the role you are applying for and assume your document will be read on a mobile device. Keeping formatting simple, easy to read, with lots of white space is still the key to a winning resume.
Contact me to discuss how you can review your resume and ensure it meets the expectations of employers and recruiters in 2018. And like all good fashion, keep our eye on the upcoming trends and stay ahead of the pack!