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Resumes Finding a Job

When I submit a resume, I keep it brief. I give my job title, rough dates of employment, and company names, and that's about it. I think if I write much more, the screener won't read it. I have gotten some interviews based on this strategy. What do you think of it?



Although it is excellent news that you have had some interviews while using this technique, that does not tell you if the technique is actually effective. It all depends on how many resumes you sent out to get "some interviews."

Just as an applicant can lose a screener's interest with a resume that reads like an epic novel, an applicant can lose that screener's interest just as easily with a resume that is little more than titles and dates. While screeners typically appreciate resumes that are concise and to-the-point, an extremely brief resume often leads a screener to think that the applicant did not take this process seriously. If fact, a screener could easily hypothesize that a very abbreviated resume points to an applicant who is either lazy or covering up a problematic work history.

A resume is an opportunity to sell yourself and bring out the most important aspects of your career, especially those that could add value to the open position. You would be better served with a one page resume that includes the basic information you are already providing, plus a tight description of your responsibilities and accomplishments.

Remember that some employers look for key words in resumes, so a key step is for you to include them.




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