Been looking at lots of resumes for days and days now. Yes, I give resume advice all the time on this blog--but there may be a reason. A good resume can make a recruiter or employer take notice, and a bad resume makes us unhappy.
So, while I may be a Cranky Recruiter today, I thought I'd share with my readers what makes me happy when I'm pouring over resumes. Here goes:
I love color. I know, too much of a good thing could turn your resume into a day-glo mess, but a little touch of color on the header, or for different sections perks it up. I noted on Facebook recently that I seem to like orange. This is true both for resumes and art work--so I'm not sure if it is a good color for everyone--but always makes me energized when I see a resume.
Ease of reading: This may go along with the color topic--but easy to read typeface, a good size font, and some bare spots along with bullet points goes a long way. Don't cram too much on the page, but keep it flowing nicely. Also, cute typefaces are fun to work with, but can be a killer on a resume. This also is true when converting from Mac to MS and other programs, so sometimes less frills are better. I also don't like handwriting script used in the body of an email--good old generic typefaces are so nice to read.
Tell me about your roles: Yes, I do know a little about the wine industry, but there is a lot to know. Tell me about the wineries you worked at. Things likes production size, types of wine made, budget, sales figures, etc. all give me an idea of the type of companies you are familiar with. If you are working at a small yet very well regarded winery, put those notes on your resume. I may not know those wines or the following a winery has. And if you were instrumental in that following, that is very important.
Put links on your resume. I am reading all of these resumes on my computer, so if I see a website link to the place you are working now, I can quickly pull it up and find out a lot about the winery. This helps me decide suitable matches for you.
References. If you are comfortable putting references, either put them on the last page, or as I sometimes see, put them within the job summary section. If I know Jane Doe over at ABC Winery is saying good things about you, I may be quicker to call you up for an interview. You don't need to do this if you are confidentially searching, and I think guarding your references is very important--both for you and for them--but I have seen some resumes do this and I thought it was very effective.
Explain Gaps. If you have a gap on your resume due to personal time off, you can put it on your resume. Going back to school, taking care of a newborn baby are all real life events that need your time. Sometimes life throws you a curve ball where you need to move back to take care of a family member, or deal with a business concern. These types of issues can be addressed on a resume, and helps explain gaps in employment.
Contact. Put your email and cell phone number on your resume. Simple, yes, but very important.
Ok, that's all for now. Back to resume review.
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