Okay, let me just clarify something. I’m not an expert in resume writing. In my whole career, I’ve only prepared / revised my resume perhaps a total of 4 times, one was for practice back in college, the next was when I entered the Big 4, the next when I applied for another job and finally the last after I resigned and had my own small-town accounting firm. Didn’t really need to do the last one but figured it will not hurt to have one in handy anyway.
So that’s out of the picture. What am I doing writing this blog anyway? Well, for one, I may not have written (or edited) much in terms of my own resume but I have certainly read some resumes when I was still an audit manager and was asked to interview some applicants after they already went through the HR Department. And although they seemed okay, there were some that caught my attention and when I googled about resumes, I remembered what were those things that got my attention. So I decided to write this blog on some tips on how to improve your resume. Most of these tips are for new graduates. Not planning on writing much, just a quick rundown will do and here it goes:
Job Objective – make this short and brief. Don’t make it into a one-paragraph, half-page thing. I’ve read some resumes that have long objectives and my mind just shut off after reading a line or two. And please make sure that your job objective coincides with the job you are applying for. If you’re applying as an audit staff on a Big 4 firm, your job objective should be connected to auditing like ‘developing your auditing skills’ or ‘gaining professional growth in a top-rated auditing firm’. Not ‘getting my license as a commercial pilot’ (an exaggeration, I know, but gets my point across right?).
Hobbies – This one has me confused really. The resume is supposed to be a reflection of what you are in your professional life. But then again, hobbies are more of personal in nature, not professional. But they are still included. Although sometimes I have to shake my head when I see these hobbies – cooking, cross-stitching, reading novels, listening to radio, searching the Internet, etc. From what was taught to me, the rule is that, while it’s true that you have your hobbies (few people do not have one), if such hobbies will not further your job application, don’t include them. Unless your hobby is reading the business section of the newspaper or an international business magazine (is there such a person?) and you’re applying for a financial analyst job, leave those hobbies out of your resume.
Plain versus fancy paper – Although I have never seen this in my whole time in auditing, I know that there are some people out there advocating the use of fancy paper for resumes, instead of plain white bond paper. I can see why they would suggest such a thing and, personally, I don’t have anything against using that kind of paper. But you have to admit, fancy papers are not really appropriate if you’re applying for an audit or accounting job. If you want to impress (and look very professional), use ivory paper or a white bond paper that is of highest quality.
Short resumes vs. long resumes – The usual advice is: don’t make your resume too long. If you’re just starting out, a 2-page resume may seem appropriate (unless you have a lot of work experience in the past). But then again, do not scrimp on the number of pages if you really have very good credentials to fill up those pages. If you have been working your butt out for the last 4 or 5 years while studying in college, by all means, include your job experience there.
Extra-curricular Activities – such as organizations, groups, clubs, etc., etc. Same with hobbies, make sure your affiliation with an organization will help your case in terms of your job application. Student organizations related to your course / profession are okay. Organizations that show you possess a certain skill or talent needed for the job you are applying for should be included. Other than these, if you are in doubt about including your other organizations, think and re-think about including them. If you still cannot decide then it would be better not to include these organizations. Better be safe than sorry.
Okay, this is a little bit longer (thought I said I’ll run them down ONLY, oh well). But I didn’t want to break this off into two. Hope the tips I gave will come in handy for you. Have any questions or concerns? Feel free to drop me a line.
So that’s out of the picture. What am I doing writing this blog anyway? Well, for one, I may not have written (or edited) much in terms of my own resume but I have certainly read some resumes when I was still an audit manager and was asked to interview some applicants after they already went through the HR Department. And although they seemed okay, there were some that caught my attention and when I googled about resumes, I remembered what were those things that got my attention. So I decided to write this blog on some tips on how to improve your resume. Most of these tips are for new graduates. Not planning on writing much, just a quick rundown will do and here it goes:
Job Objective – make this short and brief. Don’t make it into a one-paragraph, half-page thing. I’ve read some resumes that have long objectives and my mind just shut off after reading a line or two. And please make sure that your job objective coincides with the job you are applying for. If you’re applying as an audit staff on a Big 4 firm, your job objective should be connected to auditing like ‘developing your auditing skills’ or ‘gaining professional growth in a top-rated auditing firm’. Not ‘getting my license as a commercial pilot’ (an exaggeration, I know, but gets my point across right?).
Hobbies – This one has me confused really. The resume is supposed to be a reflection of what you are in your professional life. But then again, hobbies are more of personal in nature, not professional. But they are still included. Although sometimes I have to shake my head when I see these hobbies – cooking, cross-stitching, reading novels, listening to radio, searching the Internet, etc. From what was taught to me, the rule is that, while it’s true that you have your hobbies (few people do not have one), if such hobbies will not further your job application, don’t include them. Unless your hobby is reading the business section of the newspaper or an international business magazine (is there such a person?) and you’re applying for a financial analyst job, leave those hobbies out of your resume.
Plain versus fancy paper – Although I have never seen this in my whole time in auditing, I know that there are some people out there advocating the use of fancy paper for resumes, instead of plain white bond paper. I can see why they would suggest such a thing and, personally, I don’t have anything against using that kind of paper. But you have to admit, fancy papers are not really appropriate if you’re applying for an audit or accounting job. If you want to impress (and look very professional), use ivory paper or a white bond paper that is of highest quality.
Short resumes vs. long resumes – The usual advice is: don’t make your resume too long. If you’re just starting out, a 2-page resume may seem appropriate (unless you have a lot of work experience in the past). But then again, do not scrimp on the number of pages if you really have very good credentials to fill up those pages. If you have been working your butt out for the last 4 or 5 years while studying in college, by all means, include your job experience there.
Extra-curricular Activities – such as organizations, groups, clubs, etc., etc. Same with hobbies, make sure your affiliation with an organization will help your case in terms of your job application. Student organizations related to your course / profession are okay. Organizations that show you possess a certain skill or talent needed for the job you are applying for should be included. Other than these, if you are in doubt about including your other organizations, think and re-think about including them. If you still cannot decide then it would be better not to include these organizations. Better be safe than sorry.
Okay, this is a little bit longer (thought I said I’ll run them down ONLY, oh well). But I didn’t want to break this off into two. Hope the tips I gave will come in handy for you. Have any questions or concerns? Feel free to drop me a line.
