Comments on: Your Resume: Let’s Get Clear on One Thing http://jasonseiden.com/your-resume-lets-get-clear-on-one-thing/ Dare Yourself to Fail Spectacularly! Fri, 12 Mar 2010 23:33:32 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Speaking For Change » Blog Archive » Resume tips http://jasonseiden.com/your-resume-lets-get-clear-on-one-thing/comment-page-1/#comment-6876 Speaking For Change » Blog Archive » Resume tips Fri, 05 Feb 2010 07:04:08 +0000 http://jasonseiden.com/?p=636#comment-6876 [...] One Page. Enough said. [...] [...] One Page. Enough said. [...]

]]> By: Internships Hyderabad http://jasonseiden.com/your-resume-lets-get-clear-on-one-thing/comment-page-1/#comment-2911 Internships Hyderabad Tue, 22 Sep 2009 11:12:04 +0000 http://jasonseiden.com/?p=636#comment-2911 really interesting and well written article. really interesting and well written article.

]]> By: Carrie http://jasonseiden.com/your-resume-lets-get-clear-on-one-thing/comment-page-1/#comment-2896 Carrie Fri, 18 Sep 2009 18:12:22 +0000 http://jasonseiden.com/?p=636#comment-2896 I keep hearing that with the added use of online resumes, following the one-page rule is more important than ever -- particularly for recent graduates. I just completed my MA degree; I also have a BS as well as five internships plus all my volunteering and other work done. Putting everything on one page would mean little more than listing the companies and my job titles. I have a lot of friends who are in a similar position: as recent graduates, we aren't expected to have a lengthy resume when applying for entry level positions, but our experience lends itself to a two-page resume. Having seen one-page resumes, they always look as though the candidate either has no experience whatsoever or the candidate has failed to expand on anything more than a job title. In this time of numerous internships under a graduate's belt, it's time to look to that second page of a resume to better understand a candidate's experience. I keep hearing that with the added use of online resumes, following the one-page rule is more important than ever — particularly for recent graduates. I just completed my MA degree; I also have a BS as well as five internships plus all my volunteering and other work done. Putting everything on one page would mean little more than listing the companies and my job titles. I have a lot of friends who are in a similar position: as recent graduates, we aren’t expected to have a lengthy resume when applying for entry level positions, but our experience lends itself to a two-page resume.

Having seen one-page resumes, they always look as though the candidate either has no experience whatsoever or the candidate has failed to expand on anything more than a job title. In this time of numerous internships under a graduate’s belt, it’s time to look to that second page of a resume to better understand a candidate’s experience.

]]> By: Laurie Mitchell, CPC http://jasonseiden.com/your-resume-lets-get-clear-on-one-thing/comment-page-1/#comment-2893 Laurie Mitchell, CPC Fri, 18 Sep 2009 02:00:50 +0000 http://jasonseiden.com/?p=636#comment-2893 I have personally placed 1200+ Marketing and Communications Pros over the last 25 years. Resumes should be as long as necessary to spoon feed the recipient, function as a candidate's sell sheet and help set the interview agenda. Any candidate with more than 5 years' experience who sends me a one-pager is not meeting my need to see a compellingly crafted stand-alone writing sample nor meeting the needs of my clients who want a fully-fleshed out version to facilitate interviewing. And, yes, I want all positions going back to college and the date of the degree. Young HR pros often add 10-20 years to the "age" of a candidate who leaves off the date of the college degree because they assume the "worst". My candidates must have exquisitely written resumes or else I'm not interested, and they must write their own resumes. I will not entertain a "paid for" resume which I can detect instantly. BTW, the cover letter must also be darn good! I have personally placed 1200+ Marketing and Communications Pros over the last 25 years. Resumes should be as long as necessary to spoon feed the recipient, function as a candidate’s sell sheet and help set the interview agenda.
Any candidate with more than 5 years’ experience who sends me a one-pager is not meeting my need to see a compellingly crafted stand-alone writing sample nor meeting the needs of my clients who want a fully-fleshed out version to facilitate interviewing. And, yes, I want all positions going back to college and the date of the degree. Young HR pros often add 10-20 years to the “age” of a candidate who leaves off the date of the college degree because they assume the “worst”. My candidates must have exquisitely written resumes or else I’m not interested, and they must write their own resumes. I will not entertain a “paid for” resume which I can detect instantly. BTW, the cover letter must also be darn good!

]]> By: Jason Seiden http://jasonseiden.com/your-resume-lets-get-clear-on-one-thing/comment-page-1/#comment-2494 Jason Seiden Fri, 12 Jun 2009 02:23:18 +0000 http://jasonseiden.com/?p=636#comment-2494 Ben, great point, and I promise you, if this post were written for recruiters, my advice would be to look past nitty details like page length and get the best candidate. For the job seeker, where this whole discussion led to was, be thorough and be brief—don't waste words—and as long as you tell you entire story succinctly and clearly, don't worry about page length. (Also, since the word go, I've always exempted technical experts and executives from the 1-page limit... interestingly, generally when someone cites me an example of a resume that won't fit onto a page, it's for—surprise!—a technical expert or an executive.) Ben, great point, and I promise you, if this post were written for recruiters, my advice would be to look past nitty details like page length and get the best candidate.

For the job seeker, where this whole discussion led to was, be thorough and be brief—don’t waste words—and as long as you tell you entire story succinctly and clearly, don’t worry about page length.

(Also, since the word go, I’ve always exempted technical experts and executives from the 1-page limit… interestingly, generally when someone cites me an example of a resume that won’t fit onto a page, it’s for—surprise!—a technical expert or an executive.)

]]> By: Ben http://jasonseiden.com/your-resume-lets-get-clear-on-one-thing/comment-page-1/#comment-2493 Ben Thu, 11 Jun 2009 22:57:14 +0000 http://jasonseiden.com/?p=636#comment-2493 I believe that hiring people using rigid maxims like this one can cause a business or recruiter to miss out on the best candidate for the job. How can you risk missing the best person for the job because they had two pages instead of one? Maybe more importantly, how can you find the best person if you won't take the time to read a second page? Just my opinion, Jason, and I appreciate your's even though it is different! Thanks! I believe that hiring people using rigid maxims like this one can cause a business or recruiter to miss out on the best candidate for the job. How can you risk missing the best person for the job because they had two pages instead of one? Maybe more importantly, how can you find the best person if you won’t take the time to read a second page?

Just my opinion, Jason, and I appreciate your’s even though it is different! Thanks!

]]> By: Sarah http://jasonseiden.com/your-resume-lets-get-clear-on-one-thing/comment-page-1/#comment-1441 Sarah Mon, 13 Apr 2009 21:51:52 +0000 http://jasonseiden.com/?p=636#comment-1441 There are definitely two sides to this battle. In every battle, I always choose the side with the people that are most kind - no matter what the battle happens to be. For this battle, I've found it is those with the 1 page rule that want to ridicule, insult and make fools of the "arrogant and misguided" person who feels they need 2 pages to present their qualifications. I've had to hold back tears when being snapped at and scolded for using 2 pages. These are the people that I would not want to work for in the first place. The character of a person cannot be identified by the length of their resume - but passing such quick judgment based on a trivial factor does, in fact, speak volumes on the character of the speaker himself. There are definitely two sides to this battle.
In every battle, I always choose the side with the people that are most kind – no matter what the battle happens to be.

For this battle, I’ve found it is those with the 1 page rule that want to ridicule, insult and make fools of the “arrogant and misguided” person who feels they need 2 pages to present their qualifications. I’ve had to hold back tears when being snapped at and scolded for using 2 pages.

These are the people that I would not want to work for in the first place. The character of a person cannot be identified by the length of their resume – but passing such quick judgment based on a trivial factor does, in fact, speak volumes on the character of the speaker himself.

]]> By: Matt http://jasonseiden.com/your-resume-lets-get-clear-on-one-thing/comment-page-1/#comment-1417 Matt Thu, 02 Apr 2009 01:34:28 +0000 http://jasonseiden.com/?p=636#comment-1417 As a recruiter, why not simply make it more clear in the job posting what your company's requirements are for resumes? It seems this would be much better than expecting everyone to know and follow a rule that isn't nearly as universal as we are often led to believe. As a recruiter, why not simply make it more clear in the job posting what your company’s requirements are for resumes? It seems this would be much better than expecting everyone to know and follow a rule that isn’t nearly as universal as we are often led to believe.

]]> By: Maisha Cannon http://jasonseiden.com/your-resume-lets-get-clear-on-one-thing/comment-page-1/#comment-1007 Maisha Cannon Sat, 28 Feb 2009 21:41:19 +0000 http://jasonseiden.com/?p=636#comment-1007 As a recruiter for 8 years, I Love This! Thanks much, will share with candidates! As a recruiter for 8 years, I Love This! Thanks much, will share with candidates!

]]> By: Mark http://jasonseiden.com/your-resume-lets-get-clear-on-one-thing/comment-page-1/#comment-990 Mark Thu, 26 Feb 2009 20:03:02 +0000 http://jasonseiden.com/?p=636#comment-990 I'm in the middle: I have 2 pages, but they can both stand on their own if they get separated. I'm a tech guy, so I really need 3 pages, but draw the line at two (and print it front and back to save a sheet & staple). The first page is a list of my technical skills and recent job history, the second page is my major projects and educational information. In other situations, I may jettison a page and then beef up the cover letter if the job req is really detailed. Thanks for the ideas. Mark Senior IT Manger and Process Improvement Consultant http://www.linkedin.com/in/ameres I’m in the middle: I have 2 pages, but they can both stand on their own if they get separated. I’m a tech guy, so I really need 3 pages, but draw the line at two (and print it front and back to save a sheet & staple).

The first page is a list of my technical skills and recent job history, the second page is my major projects and educational information. In other situations, I may jettison a page and then beef up the cover letter if the job req is really detailed. Thanks for the ideas.

Mark
Senior IT Manger and Process Improvement Consultant
http://www.linkedin.com/in/ameres

]]> By: Abby S. http://jasonseiden.com/your-resume-lets-get-clear-on-one-thing/comment-page-1/#comment-983 Abby S. Thu, 26 Feb 2009 15:03:05 +0000 http://jasonseiden.com/?p=636#comment-983 Jason I agree that many people waste space on a resume, but I'm not opposed to a 2-pager...just depends on the person's level of experience. What I loved about your video is the brutal honesty and insight into how recruiters/HR / hiring managers think when sorting through resumes. Even in a tight market, it baffles me to find job seekers who expect everyone else to do the work for them. Whether it's the expectation that we'll read a 3 page resume, call back if the phone rings and rings without voicemail or asking a recruiter, "You've seen my resume and skill set, what do you think I should do next?". When people are looking for a job, they rarely consider anyone but themselves. Sure it's scary out there, but seekers need to be less "all about me" and think beyond their own wants/needs. As you said, those are the people that we want to hire. Keep it coming! Jason
I agree that many people waste space on a resume, but I’m not opposed to a 2-pager…just depends on the person’s level of experience.

What I loved about your video is the brutal honesty and insight into how recruiters/HR / hiring managers think when sorting through resumes. Even in a tight market, it baffles me to find job seekers who expect everyone else to do the work for them. Whether it’s the expectation that we’ll read a 3 page resume, call back if the phone rings and rings without voicemail or asking a recruiter, “You’ve seen my resume and skill set, what do you think I should do next?”.

When people are looking for a job, they rarely consider anyone but themselves. Sure it’s scary out there, but seekers need to be less “all about me” and think beyond their own wants/needs. As you said, those are the people that we want to hire.

Keep it coming!

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