Resume Writing

When Will You Need a Paper Resume?

June 11, 2013 By Katherine Burik

In the olden days, the only resume was a paper resume. You had someone type it up (on a typewriter!) then took it to a printer who handed you a paper bag filled with resumes printed on beautiful bond paper. If you wanted to apply to two different kinds of jobs, you repeated the process to obtain a second bag of resumes printed on beautiful bond paper.

We applied for jobs by sending one of the paper resumes we had printed along with a typed cover letter in an envelope by snail mail.

Life is different today. “Resume” can mean many things. There are many platforms we can use today to describe our background and experience. We need to take advantage of each one at the appropriate time.

Your main “resume” is your virtual resume on your LinkedIn profile.
You will have an electronic resume to submit to folks through email.

With all that electronic information is a paper resume still necessary? I think it is.

I like to edit resumes on paper. Well, in MS Word then print out to see what it looks like. I like the discipline of making sure the resume looks good on paper and fits on one or two pages. This is a good way to makes sure the electronic resume looks the way you want it to when you send it out in Word or PDF.

The main time you will want a paper resume is when you go to an interview. It is nice to sit down with someone and pull out a clean, pretty resume printed on good bond paper to hand to the person you are talking to. There is no substitute.

Here are a few tips for a good looking paper resume:

Print it out on a really good printer. Make sure that the printer does not leave any odd lines or crinkles.
Avoid printing copies on the copier at the library. These machines make notoriously bad copies. Ask a friend if you do not have a good printer.
Use nice bond paper. I recommend at least 20 pound or 24 pound paper with a nice shiny finish. Ask the associate at an office supply store like Office Max to help select a high quality paper.
Put the paper resume in your portfolio so it doesn’t get folded or messed up in transit. You want it to look great when you pull it out of your portfolio to hand to someone.
Only make as many as you need in a short period. You might want to customize your paper resume to highlight a particular strength, experience, or skill for a particular job interview.

Focus the bulk of your attention on your virtual resume in your LinkedIn profile. But paper resumes still have their place, although they are mostly for show these days.

How do you use a paper resume? Join the conversation in our LinkedIn Group, Job Search Check-Up.

How a Virtual Resume Stands in for You

May 14, 2013 By Katherine Burik

While you are hard at work networking, meeting new people, and finding opportunities in your job search, wouldn’t it be nice if you could have a virtual resume stands with you ready and willing to tell your story? Your LinkedIn profile does exactly that!

Think of your LinkedIn profile like a placeholder or an advertisement. It is your movie double or identical twin. It represents the “you” you want the world to see while you are out.

I check you out before I call you back. I check out people in the news, guest speakers at conferences, relatives, and friends. I especially check out people who send me email.

I like seeing your picture and learning a little about you before I call you back. It makes me feel like I know you a little. I don’t want you to be just a cold impersonal name. I know where you went to school and a little bit about what you want and what you like. You are human.

Some of the profiles I see are vague and incomplete. I conclude that those folks are not interested in connecting or maybe there are not technologically adept. I draw conclusions based on what I read. Everyone does.

Are you using your LinkedIn profile to your advantage? You don’t have to be in a job search to care about what your LinkedIn profile says about you. Since it is a virtual representation of you, what message do you want to send?

Here are some ways to use your virtual resume to your advantage whether you are searching for a new job or not:

Use a picture that makes you look friendly, open, and interesting. Avoid goofy photos from that New Year’s Eve party you attended last year. Maybe it is time to invest in a professional photo?
Your summary should say something about who you are. The default is your current title. Are you more than your title? What else do you want me to know?
Make yourself visible to more people. Comment on items you read, participate in Groups, and post articles you find interesting. It doesn’t have to take more than a few minutes a week. Being out there enhances your virtual and real reputation.
Use accomplishments instead of responsibilities when you describe your former jobs, especially your last job or two. You want me to know what you have done, especially when it supports what you can do it the future.
Recommendations make you sound human. People who respect you use their own words to describe you. This adds credibility and dimension to your profile.

Post a comment below and share your ideas…

What other ways can your LinkedIn profile stand in for you?

How Can I Make My Resume Stronger?

August 28, 2011 By Marta Goertzen

Want to know a great little trick to differentiate your resume?

Provide a thumbnail sketch of each past employer.

That’s it. That will give your resume an edge. Go back right now to your resume, and write a brief summary of each past employer. Include:

1. Industry,
2. Types of products made or services provided,
3. Revenue or sales volume, or
4. Number of employees, and
5. What makes this company notable.

Why Use a Career Objective on Your Resume?

August 3, 2010 By Katherine Burik

Do you have an objective on your resume? If you do, you may find yourself changing your objective as the position that intrigues you has a slightly different position title than what you have on in your objective? Different companies use different position titles for similar positions.

I would not recommend using an objective on your resume since it is more geared to what you want rather than what an employer seeks. I recommend a career summary. It pulls together the types of your experiences, your skills and abilities, and may include a significant accomplishment and/or specific areas of expertise. The summary is an overview of what should invite the potential employer to read the rest of your resume.

On the other hand, if you are changing careers and trying to target a position that may not be obvious to the reader in reviewing your resume, then an objective may be helpful.

Since many resume templates include an objective many candidates feel they should include an objective in their resume. Do you use an objective? If yes, what is the value to you?

What do you think?