September 2002

The Resume: A Helpful Guide to the Perfect Job Match

By Patricia Lawrence, Human Resources Manager

The resume is a “blueprint” of a job candidate’s work history. It should contain pertinent information about the candidate to enable the employer to make an informed decision as to whether the candidate should be hired for a specific job. The resume should follow a straightforward format that includes the candidate’s job objective, work experience, education, skills and any other pertinent information.

Format

Depending on how it is done, the formatting of a resume can greatly assist the employer in reviewing resumes expeditiously to determine if an applicant is qualified for the job. A resume should be well organized and include, where appropriate, subheadings and bullet points in bold for easy reading and clarity. Employers and recruiters review each resume for one to two minutes. If they don’t find those key words or relevant responsibilities within the first two minutes, the resume will be placed in the “not qualified” pool. A good format for an entry-level resume starts with an objective and is followed by information on education, internships and work experience (if any). It should conclude with a listing of skills. A professional resume also could start with an objective, but this should be followed by accomplishments, work experience and skills. It should conclude with a listing of professional licenses.

Job Objective

A job objective should be clear and concise. It should let the employer know that the candidate is serious about ensuring a good job fit as it relates to the candidate’s career aspirations and the company’s needs. A vague job objective is evidence of a lack of a direction or focus. If a resume has a vague job objective, the individual probably is not serious about matching his or her skills with the position. More likely, the individual is just sending out resumes to see which employer “bites.” Additionally, if a resume does not include a job objective, in some cases it could mean that the individual is seeking any available job opportunity.

Employment Dates

Do not bother continuing to review resumes that contain few or no employment dates. The information on these types of resumes is likely to be unreliable. Employment dates are important. The primary reasons for these dates are to show prospective employers how long candidates have spent at each job and to determine extensive employment gaps. Though a year of service was commonplace during the dot.com era of the late ’90s, a good employee usually will spend a minimum of three to five years at one employer. Employees who spend less than a year at one company are known as “job hoppers.” These individuals do not stay with one job for long and usually do not make for reliable or responsible employees.

Just as employers should be wary of job hoppers, they also should take notice of employment gaps. If a candidate’s resume shows employment dates at Company ABC from November 1989 to December 1992 and at Company XYZ from December 1994 to December 1996, the employer should ask the candidate what he or she was doing between jobs. Some candidates may have legitimate reasons for not working, such as having to take care of a sick parent, raising a child or attending college full time. Others, however, may not have a reason at all. Beware of those candidates who are unable to give a plausible explanation for extended employment gaps.

Work Experience

Entry-level positions generally require the candidate to have from zero to two years’ relevant experience. Some entry-level jobs may require one to two years’ experience. The requirement usually depends on the level of responsibility and supervision of the specific job. A mid-level or professional position normally requires from three to five years’ experience and a management-level position usually asks for five to seven years’ experience. Note, however, that the level of experience required for entry-level, professional and management positions can vary according to the industry, geographic location and work environment.

To ensure a good job fit, the candidate’s level of experience must be commensurate with or very close to the level of experience required for a particular job. If the candidate’s level of experience falls short of the level of experience required, the new hire may be short lived. If it turns out that the candidate was a bad hire due to the lack of experience, the employer will have to recruit again, which will result in lost productivity, increased recruiting costs and additional training time. The employer may even have to hire consultants or temporary assistance to get the job done until a replacement can be found. Consulting fees are not cheap, and temporary service fees can put you over budget.

When an employer hires a new employee and sets aside time to help the employee acclimate to his or her new surroundings, the employer expects the new hire to hit the ground running, especially if the new hire is filling a mid-level or professional position. Matching the right man or woman to a specific job is crucial to realizing this objective.

Education vs. Experience

Depending on the position and the field of work, certain jobs require that candidates have the appropriate educational background or its equivalent. Obviously, this is true of professional positions such as a doctor, lawyer or CPA; however, the same standard can be required for any given number of fields depending on the type of position, its range of responsibilities and the breadth of professional knowledge needed.

There are of course many other jobs and professions that require a college degree but do not necessarily warrant specialized academic study. In these instances, the age-old debate of education versus experience usually can be heard, but the arguments for and against can only be applied on a case-by-case basis according to the employer’s needs and the candidate’s abilities. Nevertheless, education and experience usually are considered equally important to any job.

Lastly, there are some jobs that do not require a college degree, such as administrative and support staff positions. However, both employers and the employees who hold these positions are more likely to benefit in the long run if these employees hold a college degree.