Five Resume Tips from a Frustrated Hiring Manager

by  Brenda L. Peterson, The Layoff Lady

Insights From An Unemployed Job Seeker

As someone who has been laid off a lot, I have applied for about three bijillion jobs throughout my career. I've become a resume nerd through this whole ordeal. I’m always learning about the best format, writing a punchy introduction, tailoring my resume to each position, and having the right level of detail on my LinkedIn profile. Which leads me to...

Insights From A Hiring Manager

On the other side, I’ve also been a hiring manager searching for new software trainers, learning and development specialists, instructional designers, technical support specialists, and technical writers. 

​As a hiring manager, believe it or not, I very much want you to be the perfect candidate for the position I have open. However, while searching for a new career opportunity is no picnic, being on the other side of hiring is also challenging.

​Unfortunately, many candidates who apply for a job are either not qualified or represent themselves poorly on a resume. Which brings me to my...

​Top Five Tips For A Strong Resume

1. Start with a professional summary section.
   When I read resumes, it's helpful to have a professional summary section front and center. Use this to briefly explain who you are professionally and the top skills you bring to this role. This is the part you can tailor for each position (without spending much time rewriting your whole resume).
2. Keep it to 1 or 2 pages.  
   I received one resume that was 17 pages long. It was for a qualified candidate with 20+ years of great experience. It also included details all the way back to high school. Prioritization and conciseness are the name of the game. If you cure cancer, put it on page 1 and ditch something else. Focus on your last 10-15 years of work experience, too. Being able to discern what is valuable and relevant is a critical skill. Including everything ever is not. 
3. Don't get fancy.
   Many resume templates are available with graphics, charts, columns, that cram in a lot of information. ​First off, an ATS (Applicant Tracking System) will have a hard time parsing the information. Secondly, it's just busy and hard to consume. Instead, use the straightforward chronological resume format with lots of white space, one inch margins, a readable size font (no smaller than 10 pt) and include your name and contact information at the top of each page. Be sure to put your contact information as the first line of each page, not in the heading. In addition, when you list your dates, include the month and year for each  job in the MM/YYYY format, for example 01/2024. 
4. Skip unnecessary details.
   Resume space is at a premium. Make sure to include only details that add value. Leave off a picture of yourself, cutesy graphics, your home address, education-related dates, and "references available upon request." This will help you use space efficiently, focus on your recent work experience, and not give people a reason out of the gate to make assumptions about your age.
5. Format your resume and cover letter like you know how. 
   Candidates who tout their “attention to detail” and then make several amateur mistakes hurt my soul—as do people looking for a job requiring graphic design skills whose resume is formatted so poorly that I can’t pick out a job titles from company names. Use headings, bold important content (like job titles), and use bulleted points to organize your skills and accomplishments. Stick with, at most, two fonts and use them consistently. Doing this also makes your resume more skimmable.

A Secret About Hiring Managers

As a job candidate, it may often feel like you are at odds with hiring managers, and the companies trying to fill open positions. Want to know the truth? 

​As a hiring manager, I’m really hoping that you are the right candidate for the opening I have.

I’m trying like crazy to find just the right person who can do what I need done and who will enjoy working at my company. Each time I come across a resume that includes a great list of skills, but who makes one or more of the mistakes listed above, you're making it harder for me to sell your skills to my boss. Having your resume in a good place makes it easier for me to advocate for you as the right person to fill the available role. 

Learn More

• The Layoff Lady: Customizing Your Resume for Each Job Application
• The Layoff Lady: Career Planning - Figuring Out What You Want To Be Next 
• The Layoff Lady: Prioritizing Job Applications
• ​The Layoff Lady's Ultimate Guide To Answering The Question, "I Just Got Laid Off--Now What Do I Do?"​
• The Layoff Lady Book: Seven Lessons From Seven Layoffs: A Guide​