I used to be completely clueless about how to look for a job. Like 99.8% of the population, I whipped up a resume which I thought was great and submitted it to every job opening that resembled my line of work.

Well, we all know how that worked out. It’s what I call the triple D of job searching: drama (oh the tears), despair (doesn’t anybody like me?) and desperation (I will take any job!).

It sucked to be me back then.

Now knowing better, there were so many things I could have done differently to avoid the dreaded triple D and to make the hunt actually work for me. Ugh!

Among these things I’d change? Definitely my resume!

I now gag about how bad my resume was back then. Back then, I genuinely thought it was good!

Obviously, I ended up getting the ball rolling by revamping my resume and got enough leads to land 2 job offers in 1 week. Of course, there are other factors that came in to play. However, without a smashing resume, there would have been no way prospective employers would be interested in me.

So what makes a good resume? And while we’re at it, whip out your own resume and see if you’ve got work to do.

A BAD RESUME IS GENERIC

If you think that a more generic resume will get you more opportunities, it won’t. Hiring managers look for a specific skill, quality or experience. A generic resume will only confuse the reader, because he or she doesn’t know about you or what you can specifically do.

A GOOD RESUME IS PRECISE AND SPECIFIC

Your resume must have a professional profile stating who you are and what you’re about. The details in the header and the body of the resume you submit to each company must be specific to the job position and description. You want the hiring manager to read your resume and feel like his dreams have come true. OK, I exaggerate, but he’ll surely feel more optimistic.

A BAD RESUME IS SIMPLY A LIST OF THINGS YOU’VE DONE IN THE PAST

If you’re a programmer, a bad resume talks all about how you wrote code, tested code and released code. But what makes you different from all the other programmers applying for the same job who also write, test and release code? NOTHING as far as the hiring manager is concerned. You must differentiate yourself!

A GOOD RESUME IS RESULTS-ORIENTED AND FULL OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS

A good resume does not simply describe what you’ve done for a living, but also what you’ve done exceptionally well. As a programmer, not only did you write, test and release code, you wrote the best code in the world! A code so robust and optimized it ran 125% faster than in simulation! I’m exaggerating again. My point is, you want your resume to define what you brought to your previous company – your accomplishments, achievements and results.

A BAD RESUME IS JUST A MISHMASH OF GENERIC WORDS

We’ve already talked about the generic resume. However, more targeted resumes may still sound generic because of poor word usage. For example, if you’re applying for a position in finance, be sure to use words relevant to the finance industry AND to the position you’re applying for.

A GOOD RESUME CONTAINS KEYWORDS THAT ARE UP TO DATE AND RELEVANT TO THE POSITION

When I was taking career strategies training, my mentor used to call these JAZZ words. They’re specific words and phrases that catch people’s attention and/or match parsing software which recruiters and big companies use to filter through the gazillions of resumes that come in.

Here’s an example:

BAD: Talked to vendors and forwarded patients’ records to them.
GOOD: Executed prompt communication between vendors and ensured patients’ records were up to date and in sync for correct process and release of patients’ medication.

A BAD RESUME GOES ON AND ON

It all boils down to respect. Respect for the reader and their time. Yes, these days everyone is busy (even if their job is to read resumes). Who has the time to read a 10 page resume? Certainly not the hiring manager who has 15 meetings a day on top of other duties. At the very least, you’re expected to have researched what makes a good resume and that’s probably why you are here.

A GOOD RESUME IS CONCISE

There are 2 types of readers: skimmers and readers. For busy folks, you’ll probably get the skimmers since they know what they’re looking for. Your resume must address both types of readers. Not only should your resume be pleasant and easy to read but important details must be highlighted. For example, if you’re applying for a tech heavy position, you should highlight the specific technologies you’ve have worked with.

BONUS: A GOOD RESUME IS REPRESENTATIVE OF YOUR SKILLS AND DESIRED POSITION

This is a bonus as it may or may not apply to your application. If you’re a designer, it’s best that your resume be beautiful and well designed. If you’re a writer or an editor, you must be extra careful with your copy. Find ways to stand out and/or have your resume represent your skills.

Remember, your resume represents you. It’s that piece of paper (or two) that must convince the RIGHT reader to contact you. Unless you were referred by a connection, this document has big role to fulfill and is definitely NOT something you can half-a** your way through.

Did you get any good tips? Did you find anything to change in your resume? Share in the comments below.

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