I’ve heard that my résumé shouldn’t be more than a page, but no matter how hard I try, I can’t get it down to a single page. Any suggestions? – Frank
J.T.: There is no hard rule that your résumé has to be just one page. At the same time, if it’s too long, that will work against you. The secret is the right amount of white space – yes, white space. If you crowd a single page with text, it will be visually overwhelming and hard to read. Better to have a readable two pages. You should keep in mind that recruiters spend about six seconds with a résumé before deciding whether to keep reading. So, you want to simplify your résumé by sticking to the facts. Studies show that numbers and statistics quantifying your accomplishments are the most persuasive items to include. Let the facts speak for you in an appealing and readable format.
DALE: I’m not sure where the one-page “rule” originated, but I’m guessing it was with recruiters and HR people who were assigned the tedious work of screening hundreds of résumés. Yes, you want to help such people put you in the stack of candidates to be passed along, but you ultimately want a résumé that helps a hiring manager visualize you in the job. For managers, the more detail you have, the better the odds of connections and experiences that will make the reader say, “I want to meet this one.” So, acknowledging two different audiences, I’d say this would be the better rule: A résumé should be a low-density two pages. This is a compromise that appeals to both the HR person who scans it and the hiring manager who studies it.
Dear J.T. & Dale: My daughter wants to move across the country to be near her siblings. My wonderful son-in-law agrees, but wants to get a job there first. He thinks it’s harder to get hired as an out-of-stater. At what point should they just go? Do firms look at you badly if you arrive jobless? Do they favor the nearby candidate over the farther one? – Jean
DALE: Unless the couple’s professions include some in-demand specialty, they will indeed be up against a bit of geographic prejudice. This isn’t provincialism; there are sound economic reasons to prefer local candidates: Besides the obvious reasons – travel expenses for interviews and relocation costs – employers are concerned about the time it takes a relocating employee to get started, and the fact that people who move cross-country often are homesick and yearn to go back. However, knowing these concerns means that the bias can be negated. For instance, the pair can assure prospective employers that they will be permanently relocating and that it’s their dream come true. People like to help newcomers, so this creates a positive dynamic. Moreover, they can arrange job-search vacations and book informational interviews. In fact, such trips can be an advantage by creating a clear window in which to schedule meetings.
J.T.: To make those visits work, they will each need to identify about 20 companies that would hire people with their skill sets. Then, using professional networking sites like LinkedIn, they can reach out to the HR departments at each one and ask the best process for getting on the company’s radar screen for hiring. If all goes well, they’ll get some conversations started that could lead to offers. Many times, companies struggle to find the right talent in their immediate area, so when talented people contact them and say they are relocating, they may want to snatch them up.
DALE: Instead of just relying on HR departments, however, please urge them to seek out managers or executives at those companies and try to arrange meetings. It makes a huge difference to getting such meetings if they can find some connection – for instance, the same university. In fact, I’d suggest they focus their networking on alumni groups. Those good old fellow Bears or Wildcats or Whatevers often come through with great introductions, and relish doing so.
– Workplace consultant and career coach J.T. O’Donnell has coached, trained and mentored employees and managers on a wide variety of career-related subjects since 1994. Her book, “CAREEREALISM: The Smart Approach to A Satisfying Career” is available at JTODonnell.com. Management guru Dale Dauten has written six books and is an authority on innovation in the workplace. His latest book, “Great Employees Only: How Gifted Bossess Hire & Dehire Their Way to Success” is available at Dauten.com. copyright 2013 King Features.
