Hi there, my name is Megan Turcol and I am an Executive Recruiter here at The Alliance Group. I am a 2017 graduate from Virginia Tech with my Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Accounting. Before joining Alliance, I was an Audit Associate at Dixon Hughes Goodman for 3 years. As a young professional with over 4 years of experience under my belt in a variety of fields, I have figured out a TON of do’s and don’ts along the way. And now, as an Executive Recruiter, I consider myself an expert on not only the lifecycle of the candidate, but specifically working with recent graduates to help them find the perfect role for them! With graduation season wrapping up, this advice is not only relevant to recent graduates, but all the new job seekers out there.
What to expect in this series:
- Part 1: Resume Do’s and Don’ts.
- Part 2: Interview Do’s and Don’ts.
- Part 3: First Day Do’s and Don’ts.
During this series I will walk you through all the steps you, the recent graduate or new job seeker, will need to land that perfect role for you! Now, let’s get started with the first, and arguably the most important step: Resume Do’s and Don’ts!
Resume Do’s and Don’ts:
Do’s:
- Write out in detail your most significant responsibilities at each job you’ve held, preferably in bullet form. This makes it easier to read for hiring managers and provides more clarity on your specific skill sets.
- Focus on utilizing more powerful wording, especially when it comes to verbs. For example, instead of using the word “started” try “implemented” or “launched”.
- Position your work experience section towards the top of your resume. Hiring Managers take less than 1 minute to glance at a resume and want to get to know more about your skill set rather than combing through less relevant sections.
- At the top of your resume, write a summary of who you are as a person, how long you’ve been working in a particular industry, as well as a brief overview of your skills. A summary section can be a great way for your personality to really shine on paper.
Don’ts:
- Don’t try to be super “trendy” when it comes to resume formatting. Hiring managers don’t want to see you spent more time ensuring the resume looked cool as opposed to filling it with substance. The simpler the better!
- Don’t put a picture of yourself at the top of your resume, especially if it is not a professionally taken headshot. Hiring managers aren’t scouring through resumes wondering what somebody may or may not look like. They are there looking for someone who’s work experience jumps off the paper.
- Avoid reusing the same language throughout your resume. No one likes when someone keeps repeating themselves, so read through your resume and utilize that synonyms feature.
- Don’t use different fonts. Try to make your resume one cohesive unit because using multiple fonts comes across as sloppy.
Remember, your resume is your first impression with a Hiring Manager, so make sure you proofread it and definitely stay truthful and honest!
Stay tuned next week for Part 2 of this blog series: Interview Do’s and Don’ts!