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Resume Writing

Lazy Job Seekers are Kidding Themselves

By: Peter Weddle

I've been unemployed in my career. Twice. So what I'm about to say is based as much on personal experience as it is on a lifetime of studying the best practices in managing a successful career. There is a single, profound truth for all job seekers: if you think conducting a job search will be quick and easy, you're only kidding yourself. It won't.

By: Prachi Patel

James DeHoniesto may have considered it a small thing, just a fib really, to punch up his resume by claiming a degree in computer science from the University of Pittsburgh -- he had, after all, taken classes there. But after the school told The Wall Street Journal that DeHoniesto had never earned a degree from Pitt, he resigned as chief information officer of Cabot Microelectronics, in Aurora, Illinois.

Inaccuracies on a resume – mistakes, embellishments, or outright lies – are shockingly common. According to Scott Viebranz of Kroll, a risk consultancy in New York City, more than 22 percent of the resumes the firm verified in 2007 for technology companies contained misrepresentations of academic credentials. And in dire economic times, "people are more likely to fudge their resumes a little bit in an effort to get a job," says Viebranz, who is chief sales officer in the firm's background screening division. "Given how tough the last half of 2008 was, I would expect our 2009 stats to reflect that."

The Long Resume: Pushing the Self-Marketing Envelope

By: Douglas B. Richardson, Certified Master Coach

You all know the rules: your resume should not burden the reader. It should never exceed two pages, and must be easy to scan during that first 30-second once-over by an overburdened, uncharitable screener. It should hit the high points, set the hook and leave elaboration of the fine points to your face-to-face interviews.

By: Teresa Odle

Lights, camera, upload. These days even a novice computer user can publish a video in a matter of minutes. On social networking sites, people are willing to share just about anything photos of their wedding, a child's first hair cut, videos taken at frat parties, and visual resumes.

"Technology has virtually eliminated the barriers associated with creating and sharing videos," says Pierce Resler, director of marketing for VisualCV, an online portfolio company based in Reston, Va. "Job seekers and recruiters are naturally following suit." Posting a job video is one means for a job seeker to present positive information to potential employers, says Louise Kursmark, president of Best Impression Career Services in Reading, Mass.

man and woman discussing resume in a job interview

By: Bill Broderick

Back in the 1950's, a Time Magazine reporter interviewed a world-famous pianist about his work. The reporter asked: "What's most challenging about playing the piano?" The pianist thought for a moment and replied: "I do OK with the notes, but the spaces between the notes give me lots of trouble."

What he meant, of course, was that he was very competent at the mechanics of playing the piano, but found the subtlety and nuance of making music, getting the "spaces between the notes" right, a continual life-long challenge.

By: Taunee Besson, CMF, CareerCast.com Senior Columnist

Responding to all job listings with your one, perfect resume is a sure way to commit job-search suicide, even if you've created a tailored cover letter.

Potential employers want to know specifically what you can do for them, so if you craft your resume for each opening, the screener is more likely to note the difference and give you the opportunity to talk in person. Here are some time-tested guidelines for writing a tailored resume: