Top 10 Do’s and Don’ts for Creating a Resume

by | Jan 29, 2021 | Blog

Writing a Resume

Top 10 Do’s and Don’ts for Creating a Resume

Are you just entering the workforce? Are you looking to make a change in your career? Are you searching for the career opportunity that is right for you?

When seeking out your first career or your fifth, it is important to explore multiple factors. You have to determine the occupation that best aligns with your skills and abilities, desirable characteristics of the workplace, growth opportunities, and if the company’s mission aligns with your own. Ultimately, we all want to work for a “happy company.”

As defined in the book “What Happy Companies Know”, a happy company understands how to effectively balance all the demands on its resources and people while continually developing new products and services. A happy company is honest at all levels, and it has a culture in which personal respect, appreciation, and trust become a major reason for its business success. At Chief, trust is everything. Our team has made it our mission to provide unparalleled personal attention to our internal and external stakeholders; building personal respect and appreciation between all parties.

Chief recognizes the weight that comes along with choosing a career, as nearly all of us will spend approximately one-third of our adult lives working. It is important to each of us to be able to collaborate with like-minded people who believe in the same mission. Chief focuses on our human capital first. We value a family-like culture and select employees who support a caring focus and a commitment to doing their job better than good.

Chief is always looking for great talent to join our team. If you are looking for a “happy company” to join, get to know us and then send us your resume! To make resume writing a bit less stressful, here are 10 helpful do’s and don’ts to get started.

Do’s

  1. Make it simple and easy to read.
  2. Put the most important information first and include only the most relevant information.
  3. Show how you moved up (or around) at past companies.
  4. Use active language such as achieved, completed, and accomplished.
  5. Call attention to important achievements.
  6. Tailor your resume based on the specific job.
  7. Use numbers and data to quantify accomplishments.
  8. Use a professional font.
  9. Include your contact information.
  10. Proofread and edit.

Don’ts

  1. Don’t include your hobbies.
  2. Leave off details about why you’re job searching.
  3. Never include your salary information.
  4. Don’t include a list of unprovable soft skills. Simply listing these skills doesn’t prove that you have them. Instead, mention specific achievements and things that you’ve done that would prove you have these skills.
  5. Refrain from including basic technology proficiency. If you have an unusually high proficiency with the program and it’s relevant to the position, it’s worth including (e.g. a data manager applicant with advanced knowledge of Excel/Access). But in most cases, though, it reads as fluff.
  6. Avoid using weak verbs on your resume. The purpose of your resume is to sell your career, not tell it.
  7. If you have been out of college for several years, do not include your GPA on your resume. But don’t be afraid to showcase honors received.
  8. There is no benefit to stating references are available upon request, as this should go without saying.
  9. Avoid using paragraphs. Your resume should be easy to read and catch the recruiter’s interest Use bullets, short paragraphs containing two to three sentences at the most, and numbers/data to catch attention quickly.
  10. Do not include a picture with your resume.

If you are looking for a reference to a great site for resume tips and formats, these templates are fully customizable to size, space, and color to your liking: https://bit.ly/3sCXLao

Creating a resume is just the first step of the job hunt process. What you do to prepare for the interview is just as important as having a solid resume. Make sure you are prepared for the interview. It is important to research the company. Researching the company to better understand what they do, what their hiring needs might be, and basic information might be expected in order to get your foot in the door. Sometimes interviewers open an interview with something like, “Tell us what you know about us.” You’ll be better prepared to address the interviewer if you are prepared with some foundational information.

Before you go into an interview, it’s recommended you practice answers to common questions. Questions like, “Tell me about yourself,” or “Why do you think you are a good fit for the position,” are likely to come up, so be prepared to answer them by practicing your answers. Also, make sure you are familiar with the job description. The job description offers insight as to what the company’s needs are and what skills they are seeking in an employee. Get familiar with the job description by spending time reviewing it in advance of the interview.

After the interview, many individuals don’t fully understand what to do and how that impacts getting a job offer. Here is a list of tips for a post-interview follow-up and what might put you at the top of the candidate shortlist:

    1. Ask for next steps and contact information

When finishing an interview, it’s critical to get the contact information of the hiring manager and ask for next steps. This may result in learning the window of time for decision making.

  1. Send a thank you note to the hiring manager.

A thank you note within 24 hours of the interview is an important task to complete in the post-interview window. In some industries, a more formal note like a handwritten thank you card might be in order. Look to your cohorts to determine the best way to say thank you but issue a note of gratitude to the employer who took the time to interview you.

At Chief, our culture starts with dedicated leadership that believes in personalized attention and capitalizing on each employee’s unique strengths and interests. The team places great importance on getting involved in our communities to help foster growth and inclusion. We look for quality employees who take pride in their work, are passionate, accountable, collaborative, and active problem solvers. To become part of the team, you must be committed to our internal and external stakeholders and have an aptitude for learning and innovation.

Chief is committed to supporting our 7 diverse brands as we know that our strength comes from our people. As part of our team, you can grow your skills, be a leader, and be a part of a family-owned company that cares.

Consider a career with Chief. Check out our current open positions and submit your resume today! https://chiefcorp.wpengine.com/careers/

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