tips for finding a job

NobodyKnows

Panda, just curious when you heard this from recruiters? At job fairs? Not trying to have a debate on the topic. It is just that I constantly hear ONE PAGE when it comes to a resume.

My personal social network (not linkedin, facebook, etc.) consists of many recruiters. Going through resumes looking for a candidate is referred to as sourcing, and that is what they dislike the most about their job. A recruiter sitting at their desk sourcing is not all smiles like they are at job fairs. And looking at someone's resume at a job fair is much different than scrolling through one on a computer screen.

Perhaps you get your praise after submitting your resume electronically, but most multi-page resumes do nothing but annoy recruiters.

foxyforce

My sister-in-law majored in psyc. She works as a social worker for DCFS. Have you been looking for positions in social work as well?

In that field...you're kinda limited in opportunities unless you continue on for a doctorate.

yeppers

NobodyKnows

My sister-in-law majored in psyc. She works as a social worker for DCFS. Have you been looking for positions in social work as well?

In that field...you're kinda limited in opportunities unless you continue on for a doctorate.

yeppers

One more tip. Don't use "yeppers" in an interview.

foxyforce

My sister-in-law majored in psyc. She works as a social worker for DCFS. Have you been looking for positions in social work as well?

In that field...you're kinda limited in opportunities unless you continue on for a doctorate.

yeppers

One more tip. Don't use "yeppers" in an interview.

I use the word "cool" and still get the job, cause i'm cool. I just need the interview!

And I agree with both of you. I have been called for interviews with my two page resume. But the thing is, they really are looking at a lot. When I was hired as a counsellor I was one of 7 candidates selected for an interview, out of 200 applicants! While I was working there I did hiring for relief staff and there were over 250 applications. My resume, not really different from anybody elses.

I have asked all my previous supervisors to help me fine tune it, and not one of them said anything about one page...BUT

i need a slam dunk. i am qualified, skilled, and exceptional and I need them to see it on a whim and say "this is one of the people we will call!"

no more ****ing around, i need a ****ing fulltime job

katekrise

It must be different for different fields...I'm a science major so you're expected to have a multi-page CV, not a one page resume.

Talako

The rule having a one page resume is misleading. Your resume should reflect where you are in your career, the position being sought, and the employer. That means your resume should be one or two pages depending on the circumstances.

CommandaPanda

Panda, just curious when you heard this from recruiters? At job fairs? Not trying to have a debate on the topic. It is just that I constantly hear ONE PAGE when it comes to a resume.

My personal social network (not linkedin, facebook, etc.) consists of many recruiters. Going through resumes looking for a candidate is referred to as sourcing, and that is what they dislike the most about their job. A recruiter sitting at their desk sourcing is not all smiles like they are at job fairs. And looking at someone's resume at a job fair is much different than scrolling through one on a computer screen.

Perhaps you get your praise after submitting your resume electronically, but most multi-page resumes do nothing but annoy recruiters.

After typing a novel’s worth of a response, I left a summary to paraphrase everything I’m saying.

I'll refrain from turning this into a debate as well. I, too, have heard to keep it to a page. I don’t usually go to job fairs. I’ve been to two of them, and one of them I didn’t even have a resume. The other, I came with a resume, and yes, I was told that it was very impressive. I know you’re going to take that statement with a “grain of salt,” but one of the recruiters was so impressed that she asked if she could hold on to mine even though she couldn’t offer me a job because I hadn’t yet graduated. Another booth at this same job fair, the VP of IS for an insurance company gave me his personal email and told me to email him my resume so he could have a digital copy as he was interested in offering me an opportunity for (temporary) employment.

Do I base all of my facts off of this ONE particular job fair? No. This supported my theory, at the time, that I did not need to restrict my resume to 1 page. My father, at one time the CTO of a corporation and was responsible for hiring in certain positions, hadn’t even taken a look at my resume prior to the job fair and reinforced my suspicions that anything above a page is never a bad thing, particularly if it’s relevant. Now, finally, onto the current company I am working for. The very first day of orientation, I had two of the recruiters who reviewed my resume and conducted two separate phases of my interview come up to me and express to me how they were impressed with my resume and their eagerness to begin working with me… which was awkward because I don’t even consider myself to be that fantastic.. I have minimal work experience. I was able to achieve 5 interviews for very competitive positions with my “theory” in a city where everybody is trying to get a job (Boston).

I don’t want to turn this into a debate so I will say now that this is from my experience and own opinions. Maybe I’m wrong.. There might possibly be a science behind all of this… so in my own humble opinion, I believe that if a company is willing to “toss” your resume because it is OVER 1 page then they probably aren’t a very good company to work for, seeing as they would be willing to dismiss a highly qualified candidate over a page limit for resume’s…

If you don’t have the legitimacy to go over 1 page, then don’t. You’re not going to put “I worked at McDonald’s when I was 16” on your resume, because that will not benefit yourself or your employer in any fashion. If the information you have is applicable to the job in any manner.. put it down. I know I would be underselling myself if I were to simply take away 1/3 of my resume for the sake of meeting a 1-page-requirement(recommendation).


Summary:
- Don’t TRY to go over 1 page; if you can’t help it.. don’t sweat it, there’s no such thing as insignificant when it comes to landing your desired job.
- If the content is relevant to the job you’re applying for, don’t hide it…

I just want to say that I have dealt with many recruiters. My resume isn’t 12 pages long, it’s 1.5 (approximated). If a recruiter has to sift through SEVERAL pages of information, I would expect them to slag.. it’s in human nature. It’s also well-organized so the reader may sift through the information without clutter.

I suppose everyone has their own experiences, but from the people I’ve met and the interactions I’ve had.. my method hasn’t dragged me down any. I’ve benefitted from not cutting myself short and for those who are younger (like myself), I recommend my method. It’s tough to break into any field as entry-level. If you can’t get a job, it’s even more difficult because now you’re in a rut. I don’t write resume’s or coach others on writing their own for a living, nor do I interview people. But the opportunities I’ve been given with how I’ve handled my resume’s has opened doors. During this one interview with a recruiter, my resume opened another door for another position because I qualified for 2 more jobs than what I had applied for with this one company (Fidelity Investments). So how will anybody know what you’re capable of if you hold back?

In closing, I’d like for our exchange of conversation to be more enlightening. I’ve certainly learned from you in ways and I hope you’ve taken something from my experiences with recruiters.

CommandaPanda

The rule having a one page resume is misleading. Your resume should reflect where you are in your career, the position being sought, and the employer. That means your resume should be one or two pages depending on the circumstances.

You summed it up in shorter words than I... I praise you for saying what I'm apparently incapable of.

vmata1

Its all about networking! I'm in HR and in the end, its about how you sell yourself.

Check out toastmasters.org and find a group in your area. Its an excellent community, supportive and looks great on a resume - trust me!

Work your profile on linked in and create a website focusing on your goals... Also check out this article. Its aggressive but a great way to stand out from the crowd, especially when a recruiter is dealing with a million and one resumes a day.

http://www.mscareergirl.com/2010/03/30/10-guerrilla-job-search-tactics-that-work/

Good luck!

i_love_vinegar

The rule having a one page resume is misleading. Your resume should reflect where you are in your career, the position being sought, and the employer. That means your resume should be one or two pages depending on the circumstances.

I agree with this, however, the OP isn't applying for very high-level positions. Thus, a 2 page resume would appear odd.