Want to change your job in 2019? Here's what your résumé should look like
You are just one résumé away from bagging the perfect job.
By ET Online | Updated:
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Recent research suggests that the ideal résumé length is actually two pages.
New year, new you, new goals, a new résumé, and a whole-new job, may be!
Applying for a job can be a daunting task. But before getting to that, you will need a solid résumé to back you up.
Writing the perfect résumé seems like a struggle. Your résumé is a direct reflection of the work you do and the skill set that you have.
It must show you off in the best possible way and should also be accurate.
Résumé formats have changed over the years, and it's important to make sure yours meets today's standards.
Two-page résumés perform better, recruiters also spend more time reading them.
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Earlier, the norm was a crisp, one-page résumé. However, with the advent of email and online job applications, recruiters now prefer two-page résumés.
In fact, recent research also suggests that the ideal résumé length is actually two pages.
The research was conducted by résumé-writing service ResumeGo. They conducted a study involving a total of 482 professionals, who were recruiters, hiring managers, HR professionals, or C-Suite level executives. They were asked to screen résumés for different positions.
To everyone's surprise, two-page résumés scored more than one-page résumés, regardless of the job level. This may help you understand it better:
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According to a study by Resumego, out of the 7,712 resumes that participants chose in the simulated hiring process, a whopping 5,375 of these resumes were two pages in length. (Image: https://www.resumego.net)
Not only did the two-page résumés perform better, recruiters also spent more time reading them. This debunks the notion that recruiters will gloss over lengthier résumés.
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Now, that we've established that a two-page résumé is your gateway to your dream job. Keep these 3-pointers handy to write our résumé:
- Be relevant Read the job requirements carefully and craft the elements accordingly, by either adding or deleting skills that will help you customise the résumé tailored to the job listing. Review your experiences, quantify your accomplishments. Avoid writing in first person.
- Size Matters Don't be extremely creative with the font and size of the text. Try to maintain uniformity and distinguish the salient features or headers with a bolder font. But, try to stay away from using a multitude of fonts, it may just end up making your résumé shoddy.
- Keep it neat That should be your primary goal. Your priority should be to keep your résumé clear and easy to read. List your career history in reverse chronological order. Don't forget to include a short note to explain any gaps.
Now, that you have your résumé in place, time for some trivia. Take a look at this résumé by an 18-year-old Steve Jobs: <p><br>A rejected résumé did not deter Jobs from following his dreams. </p> A close look at this reveals some glaring errors. Jobs doesn't capitalise his last name, which appears as 'Steven jobs'. In response to the question 'Access to transportation?', Jobs answered with: 'possible, but not probobale [sic]'. And, no guesses for how quickly this application landed in the reject list.
Does this help you realise that looking beyond the obvious is imperative? An English literature major who was interested in electronics, design, and computer engineering.
A rejected résumé did not deter Jobs from following his dreams.
You are always going to make mistakes, but, learn from them, focus on what you are doing right, and stay motivated.
May be, you could be the next Steve Jobs!
Boost Productivity With Tech: 5 Gadgets That Make You More Efficient At Work
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Focus, communication and connectivity are the key elements of productivity at work. In order to maintain these, one might need to put in additional efforts, both physically and mentally. However, in a world of technology, gadgets have made everything easier.
Here's a list of five gizmos that will simplify communication and keep you focussed and connected at work, thereby boosting overall productivity.
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The Light Phone 2 is a simple, 4G LTE phone with a black and white matte e-ink display. Often referred to as a ‘dumb phone’, it can only make calls, send texts and get directions. And that’s all you need from your phone when you need to focus at work and cure your addiction to apps — it eliminates time-wasters like social media apps and games. The Light Phone 2 also has an alarm clock, speaker, microphone and physical buttons.
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