Developing a Good Resume

"OLD RULE—A resume should not be longer than one page. Anything longer causes the employer to lose interest and makes the applicant look arrogant and disorganized.
NEW RULE—A resume should be as long as necessary to be complete.
REASON—Today, employers use sophisticated computer programs to scan in-house and independent databases that can contain tens of thousands of resumes. These programs search for selected words and phrases that best apply to their ideal candidate. E-resumes that are too short are less likely to contain the magic phrases."
John A. Challenger, in The Bottom Line Personal, March 15, 2000

“If a resume doesn't speak for you in your absence, and tell them exactly who you are, your level, and what you bring to the party, develop one that helps you.”
Kate Wendleton, Job-Search Secrets (The Five O'Clock Club)

“In a passive job search, you rely on your resume to do most of the work for you. An eye-catching resume that stands out above the others may be your best shot at getting noticed by a perspective employer. If your resume is only average and looks like most of the others in the pile, the chances are great that you won't be noticed and called for an interview. If you want to be singled out because of your resume, it should be somewhere between spectacular and award-winning.”
David Noble, Ph.D., Professional Resumes (Jist Publications)

“Resumes are some of the most abused and misused forms of job search communication. Not knowing how to best communicate their qualifications to employers, many job seekers go through the ritual of writing uninspired documents that primarily document their work history rather than provide evidence for predicting their future performance and value to employers.”
Ron and Caryl Krannich, Ph.D's, Dynamite Resumes, 3rd Edition

“Your resume absolutely must do two things. Unfortunately, while brevity achieves one, it defeats the other. Therefore, unless you're Lee Iacocca, brevity isn't your answer.”
John Lucht, Rites of Passage at $100,000 Plus

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