Resumes have changed over the years and are still changing. Thirty or forty years ago, for example, a resume commonly led off with an objective such as “seeking challenging job in publishing industry.” Now the resume starts off with a summary or profile of the job seeker’s strengths.
It used to be that resumes concentrated on skills and responsibilities. Now they concentrate on achievements (how those skills were used) and the value the job applicant brings to the position.
In former times, a “one size fits all” resume was acceptable. Now the emphasis is on a resume that uses keywords targeted to a particular job, company, and/or industry.
Job applicants used to include information on their resume that laws now prohibit employers from seeking, such as marital status, or information that employers are no longer interested in, such as hobbies. However, that information and more may still be found by employers who search LinkedIn, Facebook, or other social sites if the job applicant participates in those sites. Aligning your social media with your resume is now an important part of any job search.
While the need for a cover letter has remained the same, submission techniques have changed (from mostly mail to mostly electronic), so the cover letter is often a cover email.
The old fashioned resume was usually one page and written on a typewriter, making the format a minor consideration so long as it was professional looking. Nowadays a resume of two or more pages is fine, if the content justifies the length. Word processing provides a wealth of opportunities for design, but applicants should keep in mind that automated resume screening software may not be able to read an overly designed resume. In addition, too much design—multiple fonts, lots of bold and italic, complex graphics—may actually diminish the professional look of a resume.
Times have changed for resumes, and professional resume writers make it a point to keep up with those changes so that your resume has the maximum impact. Contact Robin’s Resumes® today for a resume that is professional, up to date, and filled with the information recruiters and hiring managers are looking for.