Three Killer Myths About Resumes

Résumé Formats Aren’t Important. The truth is, whether you send your resume electronically or through the U.S. mail the initial impression that a prospective employer or recruiter gets of you is based on the appearance of what you’ve sent. If it is well organized (with headings, etc), provides direction as to the type of position being sought and accents accomplishments it makes the reader want to pick up the telephone and call you. We review scores of résumés every week and, like most companies tend to use initial appearance as the first screening tool.


Employers and Recruiters Read Résumés With An Open Mind. Typically, when an employer or recruiter glances at a résumé they are looking for specific skills and experience—in other words, they are screening candidates out, not looking for ways to make them fit their requirements. For this reason, you should include what you accomplished in each position as concretely as possible (i.e. increased sales by 30%; implemented controls resulting in annual cost savings of $120,000, etc).


Simply Attaching My Résumé To An Email Is All That Is Required. Like it or not, most companies are hesitant to open attachments from people they haven’t had contact with because of viruses. In addition, managers are busier than ever and it takes time to download and open files. For this reason you should always copy your résumé into the body of your email as well as provide an attachment. When you attach your résumé, don’t send it as “Karensresume” or “resume”—use your full name for the file name. If you are sending your résumé to a recruiter, you should not send it as a PDF file. Most recruiters prefer MS Word format because it allows them flexibility in presenting your résumé to their clients.