Recently, the immense project of interviewing several hundred recruiters / headhunters was completed to find out what they are saying about resumes. The recruiters were from varied specialties and industries throughout the US and Canada, (Engineering, Information Technology, Sales and Marketing, Executive, Biotech, Healthcare, Administrative, Finance, etc.). The project aimed to find out what are the recruiter's likes and dislikes in a resume they receive, and what is going to get a resume read by them. Some of the "Pet Peeves" will be obvious, while others might surprise a job seeker.

TOP RECRUITER PET PEEVES ABOUT RESUMES

# 9 - Candidates Who Apply to Positions They are Unqualified.
To gain experience in an area, you need to start out somewhere, and recruiters understand this. Nevertheless, recruiters are buried up to their eyeballs in resumes. Recruiters do not have time to sort through hundreds of resumes that are in no way a match for the requirements they are trying to fill. Steve Kendall of Management Recruiters of Atlanta West shares the following comment, "When someone submits an obviously unqualified resume, the person receiving it resents them wasting their time. It also delays the consideration of other applicants who ARE qualified. This resentment doesn't help start a good relationship with that recruiter." Make sure to read the job description. If the requirements are, "must have US citizenship and ability to obtain top security clearance," do not submit your resume to this position if you require H1 sponsorship.


Steve further adds, "All recruiters receive unsolicited resumes. If you are from the same profession or industry as a job posting, and do not fit that particular job, your background may fit other current or future jobs that will be worked on by that recruiter. Sending your information to them makes sense, however, don't try to pretend that you are qualified for a job when you are not."

Jennifer Baker of Inter*Link Technology Solutions in Daytona Beach, FL added, "Candidates who may not have direct experience in a particular area may still be a good match, however, it is this group of candidates who need to go the extra mile when presenting their resumes. Tell the recruiter in specific terms why your background makes you a good fit for this job. Otherwise, the recruiter is going to be puzzled as to why you have sent your resume."

Recruiter Tip: Phil Dubois of Pride in Personnel in Markaham, Ontario offered this advice, "My initial reaction, (receiving resumes from unqualified candidates), is negative. The easiest remedy is to provide a simple introductory statement 'while my qualifications do not match your requirements, please accept the attached for your files in anticipation of future, suitable opportunities'".

# 8 - Long Paragraphs
Recruiters want a resume's details to be short, concise and to the point. No recruiter has the time to read long paragraphs, which look like a narrative out of War and Peace. Mark King of MRI Atlanta made this statement, "In today's world, recruiters and hiring managers want/need bullets, quick access to information and experience, not drawn out sentences to describe job responsibilities."

Usually, a candidate only has 20 seconds to grab a recruiter's attention. However, in the process of interviewing the many hundreds of recruiters for this project, it appears the consensus is more likely less than 10 seconds.

Make sure you quickly get to the "meat" of what you are trying to communicate about yourself. Your resume should be easy for the reader to "scan" your text for your skills and accomplishments. Consider using the following formatting techniques:

• Use blunt, paraphrased bullet-points
• Use appropriate amounts of "white space" to help guide your reader

Recruiter Tip: Think of a resume as "ad copy." Take a look at the Sunday circulars in the paper. Notice how the ad copy is easy to read and is spread out using key bullet-points to emphasize the criteria consumers are using to make a buying decision. For example, cubic feet of storage space, ice maker, water dispenser, color, side by side doors, price, etc. Understand that a resume is only to get you in the door. If you get a call on your resume, it has done its job!! It is now up to you to "connect" with the person you are interviewing with.

J. Michael Worthington, Jr.
Adopted, with permission, from the Resume Doctor

Frequently Asked Questions about Resumes

Q: What information should I put in my resume?

A: A resume is a short account of one's career and qualifications. An effective resume should be a clearly written, concise document which presents your work experience, skills, accomplishments, education and relevant personal data. A well-written resume should emphasize your abilities and achievements and specific responsibilities. Keep in mind the business needs of prospective employers.

Q: Should I put a job objective on my resume?

A: Job objectives can limit your options, unless you create a new resume for each position for which you apply.

Q: How long should my resume be?

A: A one-page resume is preferred, though a two-page resume can be just as effective.

Q: What's the difference between a chronological and a functional resume?

A: A chronological resume outlines your work experience by dates; a functional resume outlines your background by broad-based areas of responsibility. Your choice of the format to use depends on how you want your skills to be highlighted. It is possible to combine the best features of both types of resume.

Q: What kind of paper should I use?

A: A heavy-weight white bond is optimal. If you send some resumes by Fax, the type won't be as clear on a colored background.

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