Your Resume Communicates Volumes by Steve Adubato, Ph.D.

A resume can be a powerful communication tool. It can say, “Hey, this guy’s really good. He’s accomplished a lot. Let’s get him in here for an interview.” A resume can also be a huge turnoff because the way it is presented is difficult to follow, unnecessarily wordy and really doesn’t say a whole lot. Translation? Chances are, you are never getting in the door for an interview.

A recent survey by ResumeDoctor.com examined more than 160,000 resumes of job seekers. The survey also asked employers the best and worst ways of communicating through a resume. The findings are fascinating.

Q—What are some of the biggest mistakes people make in a resume?

A—The worst mistake is to submit a three-page single spaced resume that goes on and on and on talking in vague generalities of how great you are. The resume is filled with confusing jargon an employer can hardly understand. The other big mistake is to use expressions that are tired and fuzzy. We’re convinced such language is impressive, but in fact most employers have heard it all before and are anything but impressed.

Q—What kind of expressions are we talking about?

A—There are a million of them. “I’ve got great verbal communication skills.” Does that mean you can put two sentences together? Instead try something like; “I’ve delivered dozens of compelling sales presentations that have resulted in a 30 percent increase in revenue for my previous employer.” Grandiose claims of how good you are don’t stand out in a resume. Employers are looking for concrete examples that prove your claim to be true. So instead of saying; “I’m a strong leader under pressure,” go with, “As the leader of my team at company ABC, I lead the effort to cut our budget by 26 percent while maintaining productivity.” The key is to get specific.

Q—What are some other “canned” resume phrases that employers don’t particularly like?

A—The ResumeDoctor.com survey identified words such as ambitious, creative, aggressive, motivated, resourceful and hardworking as big turnoffs. The survey also found that the average personnel or HR executive reads between 25 and 40 resumes a day and spends an average of two minutes on each resume. That means some resumes get nothing more than 15 or 30 seconds before they are pushed aside and these folks never get the chance to show their stuff in a face to face interview.

Q—What is the optimal resume length and/or style?

A—This partly depends on how much experience you have. Most resumes should be one page with a maximum length a page and a half. But it isn’t just the length that matters, it is also how a resume is organized. An effective resume device is using bullets in an outline form that highlight significant accomplishments like the concrete examples described above. Just like a PowerPoint slide, a resume needs white space and bold fonts so that the reader can easily determine what is important and why.

Q—What about listing hobbies and activities in a resume? Doesn’t that communicate that you are a well-rounded person?

A—Who cares? It’s a huge waste of space and time to say you love to bike, ski and hike. Most employers don’t have the luxury to consider such information. Further, by including it, you are making the resume longer than it needs to be. Instead, be concise, to the point and use concrete and compelling examples that demonstrate that you warrant an interview. Sorry, I don’t make the rules for communication, I just know what some of them are and I am trying to help you make the most of it.

Dr. Steve Adubato coaches and speaks on the subjects of communication and leadership and is the author of the book "Speak from the Heart." Write to him at The Star-Ledger, 1 Star-Ledger Plaza, Newark, NJ 07102, or click here to contact him through this web site.