2) Optimize Your Resume: Resume Myths

1. Myth: I must write as much information as possible about every single experience that I have had

Fact: You should focus on tailoring your resume specifically to the industry and company that you are interested in. Not all of your experience is relevant to the company.

2. Myth: The quantity of experiences is important so I do not have to worry about the length of my resume

Fact: If you are interested in business, then your resume should be exactly 1 page long. Recruiters look at hundreds of resumes each recruiting season and they will not spend the time sifting through three pages of information. Your resume is the 1-page representation of your experiences and background

3. Myth: I should write an “objectives” section on my resume so they recruiter knows I’m interested in interviewing

Fact: Do not write an objective section! The recruiter obviously knows that you are interested in interviewing with the company because you have submitted your resume. Your resume is limited to 1-page; therefore, you should not waste any space with an “objective” section.

4. Myth: I should list out my individual responsibilities and what I did in each internship

Fact: Recruiters don’t care about your responsibilities. If you had a sales position, they obviously know what your responsibilities are from just your position title. What you need to list out is the unique value you created for the company. What did you do in your position that no one else could have done?

5. Myth: I should list out my information and experiences in paragraph and sentence form

Fact: Use bullet points when you are describing the value that you created in each experience. Bullet points keep your resume organized and allow the recruiter to review your information quickly and effectively

6. Myth: The resume is for pure professionalism only. I should not let my personality and interests shine through.

Fact: You should always include your interests at the bottom of your resume. Interests allow you to connect with the interviewer and possibly find common ground. I have had many interviewers where all we talk about are our interests in traveling and basketball.

7. Myth: The interviewer completely reads through my entire resume in detail

Fact: If you ask any interviewer (and they answer honestly), they will tell you that they were only able to quickly glance over your resume and not look over it thoroughly. Because of this, your resume needs to stand out immediately by being filled completely with content from top to bottom and it must look very organized and structured.

8. Myth: My one resume is a one-size fits all document that I can use for every single company that I apply to

Fact: You may have a resume for I-banking, one for consulting, and another one for accounting. There is no “one-size” fits all resume. When I was recruiting, I had three different version of my resume for three different industries. Tailor your resume to the industry and company of your choice.

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