One problem that drives recruiters and hiring managers crazy is how to reach a potential hire when the contact information on his or her resume is wrong or difficult to read. Follow these basic rules about contact information so that you never miss a request for an interview:
- Make sure your name and contact information is visible on every page of the resume. Small or fancy fonts, light print, or poor contrast between the print and page color will all make your name and contact information difficult to read.
- Make sure your phone number is complete (with area code); double check the number because it is easy to transpose a figure that you know by heart.
- Give your exact mailing address, including zip code. Although these days most companies will respond by email or phone, why take chances?
- If your home phone is regularly answered by a 5 year old, purchase a cell phone for the duration of your job hunt so that you are the only one who answers it.
- Give your answering machine a professional message. Save the jazz sonata, inside joke, and gruff “you know what to do at the beep” for after you have a new job.
- Set up a professional email address that includes your name. If you have to insert a period (john.mell) or underline (john_mell), make sure the period or underline is clearly visible on your resume. Try to avoid adding a number 0 or 1 to your email address, as these numbers can be confused with o or l (JOHNMELL0123).
At Robin’s Resumes®, paying attention to these details is second nature to us. Let us help you make sure that hiring managers and recruiters know how to reach you—and are eager to do so. Next week we will discuss the “10 Must Haves in a Great Work History.”