Many job seekers treat their resumé like a career history.
That’s a mistake, says Amy Perrotta, founder of Needa Strategy Group, a career branding firm. She told Business Insider that a résumé should be viewed as a marketing document, not a career biography.
The goal isn’t to list every job you’ve had, it’s to get the hiring manager “excited and making them want to pick up the phone and call you,” Perrotta, who started her career as a recruiter, working for staffing agencies like Robert Half.
She recommends this template:
Structure
Perrotta said résumés should generally be no longer than two to three pages, with the most important information first. Those earlier in their careers may only need a single page, she said.
“The ideal length depends on your career stage and profession,” Perrotta said, adding that someone working in academia or law, or with 15 to 20 years of experience, may need a longer one.
At the top of the résumé, she recommends including an objective statement, which should be a short sentence or the job title of what you’re seeking.
Next, she suggests a section highlighting key areas of expertise tailored to the job description, followed by a professional summary of three to five sentences describing who you are, what you’ve accomplished, and what you’re looking for next. It should be written in third person, similar to the rest of the resumé, she said.
“Think of it as your professional elevator pitch,” Perrotta said. “It should quickly communicate your value and encourage the reader to keep reading.”
She says that education, certifications, languages, and any other involvements should be placed at the bottom. However, if candidates have any higher education, such as a master’s degree or certifications, those should come after your name. For example, Perrotta said her résumé would list “Amy Perrotta, PHR” because she holds an HR certification.
The content
Perrotta said résumés should reflect the candidate’s last decade of experience.
“Anything past 10 years, the hiring manager isn’t going to focus too much on,” Perrotta said, adding that if the candidate wants to include prior experience, they should limit the bullet points and make sure it reflects the highlights.
She said bullet points should include what you made, which refers to revenue generated, sales closed, or business developed. It should also include what you saved, which could be money, time, or resources by improving processes or efficiency. Finally, explain what you achieved, such as promotions, awards, leadership initiatives, or other measurable accomplishments.
To get started with an initial draft, Perrotta said candidates can feed AI a list of every place they’ve worked, their job title, and what they did there.
“AI is a fantastic tool for overcoming writer’s block and creating structure, but the strongest résumés are still personalized and supported by authentic, measurable achievements,” Perrotta added in a follow-up email.
Perrotta said candidates should also describe the structure of the teams they worked on. For example, a bullet point might include working at a Fortune 500 company as part of a four-person recruiting team, collaborating with three sourcing specialists, and reporting to the director of recruiting.
Those details help hiring managers quickly understand the size of the organization, the hierarchy, and whether the candidate’s experience aligns with the role they’re trying to fill.
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