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March 30, 2005

Keep it Simple!

Today I'm working on a resume for a talented Business Development executive. His resume is filled with accomplishments and numbers. The sentence structure is good and the layout is professional. So why did he need to hire me? Because despite all that, the resume makes very little sense to anyone working outside his company. Here's just one example:

Designed supply chain localization scenario to reduce inbound logistics cost for preferred casting plant site by $145 million. Identified $20 million supply chain cost advantage for preferred plant site.

I think that means that my client saved over $165 million for his employer by finding better ways to do things ... but it's pretty hard to wade through all those words to get the point.

It's my experience that people who can write well in other situations suddenly get overcome with wordiness when they start to write a resume. This is because resume writing is a weird experience - it feels as though it has to be formal. It feels as though you should use long words. Suddenly, you drop your personality altogether and become someone else. Someone you wouldn't want to have a beer with!

Don't.

Your resume can and should reflect your personality, your voice and your choice of words. It should be easy to read and understand at a glance. The recruiter or HR person reading your resume may not be intimately familiar with the industry jargon you use every day, or they just may be tired of wading through words! Make it easy for them.

Test your resume now by asking friends and family to read it and tell you what it means. If they don't understand, you need to simplify ...

Posted by Louise at March 30, 2005 09:52 AM