1. Resume Tips & Tricks From Talis Group, Inc.

2. Resumes should be no longer than two pages, three at the absolute max. Please remember that HR people are very concerned with accuracy. They will likely get a red flag if you leave out work experience in the middle of your resume. I always believe it is best to list all employment starting with internships and after graduation. Please remember that HR people are very concerned with accuracy. They will likely get a red flag if you leave out work experience in the middle of your resume. I always believe it is best to list all employment starting with internships and after graduation.

3. Chronological resumes are the only way to go in my opinion. I would never submit a functional resume to an employer because it lacks nearly everything an HR person is looking for- dates, company descriptions and specific position details under a particular company. It leaves way too much room for assumption. I would never submit a functional resume to an employer because it lacks nearly everything an HR person is looking for- dates, company descriptions and specific position details under a particular company. It leaves way too much room for assumption.

4. Fonts can make or break you. Do not use frilly hard to read fonts and make sure the type is large enough to read. Stick with Times New Roman, Arial or another standard font so you don’t have conversion issues. Font size should not be any smaller than 11. If they can’t read it, they won’t. Do not use frilly hard to read fonts and make sure the type is large enough to read. Stick with Times New Roman, Arial or another standard font so you don’t have conversion issues. Font size should not be any smaller than 11. If they can’t read it, they won’t.

5. Place your education and any certifications at the top of the resume. Employers have drawn a line in the sand, most of the positions we are seeing require a Bachelor’s Degree at a minimum, with a record number in the last year seeking Master’s as well. Generally that will be the first thing an HR Manager may look for because its required and usually easy to spot. Employers have drawn a line in the sand, most of the positions we are seeing require a Bachelor’s Degree at a minimum, with a record number in the last year seeking Master’s as well. Generally that will be the first thing an HR Manager may look for because its required and usually easy to spot.

6. Place your skills and/or accomplishments at the top of the resume. Be careful with this. You don’t want a full page of accomplishments, just the highlights and any software or other technical skills that you have attained. Don’t make the hiring manager hunt for your software experience. If it’s required or even preferred you want them to see it right away. Use bullets and to save space you can easily use a text box to put them in columns. Be careful with this. You don’t want a full page of accomplishments, just the highlights and any software or other technical skills that you have attained. Don’t make the hiring manager hunt for your software experience. If it’s required or even preferred you want them to see it right away. Use bullets and to save space you can easily use a text box to put them in columns.

7. Company name should stand out (bold or larger font) and include a short sentence describing the company. I rarely see someone describe the company they worked for. Reality is that companies strongly prefer to hire people that have experience in their industry. You might not understand that because accounting is accounting or engineering for one manufacturing company should be the same as another but you will just have to trust me on this. It is extremely important. I rarely see someone describe the company they worked for. Reality is that companies strongly prefer to hire people that have experience in their industry. You might not understand that because accounting is accounting or engineering for one manufacturing company should be the same as another but you will just have to trust me on this. It is extremely important.

8. Titles are important An HR Manager may judge you in an instant as over qualified or under qualified from your titles. Worse yet, they may rule you out completely because the title doesn’t match their keywords and they don’t take the time to dig in and find out the details about you. If you had a title that wasn’t a true reflection of your job duties put a more appropriate title in parenthesis after your title. Make sure to describe in detail in your bullets. An HR Manager may judge you in an instant as over qualified or under qualified from your titles. Worse yet, they may rule you out completely because the title doesn’t match their keywords and they don’t take the time to dig in and find out the details about you. If you had a title that wasn’t a true reflection of your job duties put a more appropriate title in parenthesis after your title. Make sure to describe in detail in your bullets.

9. Bullet for today’s ADD reader I tell my staff often that every one of our clients has Attention Deficit Disorder (A.D.D) and you would to if you looked at hundreds of resumes a week. Bullet everything you can! its so much easier to read and skim that way. I tell my staff often that every one of our clients has Attention Deficit Disorder (A.D.D) and you would to if you looked at hundreds of resumes a week. Bullet everything you can! its so much easier to read and skim that way.

10. Example: American Air Filter, Louisville, KY (downsizing) Aug. 2003-Nov. 2008 Fortune 500 manufacturer of commercial air filter equipment Mechanical Designer Produced production drawings for complete and partial systems including ductwork, fans, pumps, piping and ext. Produced production drawings for complete and partial systems including ductwork, fans, pumps, piping and ext. Converted from drawings AutoCAD to Inventor Converted from drawings AutoCAD to Inventor Worked with shop personnel to resolve any fabrication issues Worked with shop personnel to resolve any fabrication issues

11. How to list your Experience Your experience should be in reverse chronological order so that your more recent job is first. You must list your work dates accurately on your resume. Your experience should be listed in bulleted format. Make sure to list any relevant experience even if you think it might be implied by your title (it isn’t). If you have 20 years of experience or more, you may want to give adequate detail on your earlier jobs and then focus on the more recent jobs with heavier detail. Your experience should be in reverse chronological order so that your more recent job is first. You must list your work dates accurately on your resume. Your experience should be listed in bulleted format. Make sure to list any relevant experience even if you think it might be implied by your title (it isn’t). If you have 20 years of experience or more, you may want to give adequate detail on your earlier jobs and then focus on the more recent jobs with heavier detail.

12. Summary or Cover Letter? I’m not a big fan of cover letters. They are usually too long and I don’t think people read them. What I do like is a summary of your skills in a simple paragraph and how it relates my job. I think this wraps it up in a neat little package. Yes it’s time consuming to write a summary for yourself for every job you apply to. However, the job is the goal and you are writing your advertising piece. I write a summary for every candidate I interview and change it when I send it out depending on the company’s requirements. Here is a sample my typical format I’m not a big fan of cover letters. They are usually too long and I don’t think people read them. What I do like is a summary of your skills in a simple paragraph and how it relates my job. I think this wraps it up in a neat little package. Yes it’s time consuming to write a summary for yourself for every job you apply to. However, the job is the goal and you are writing your advertising piece. I write a summary for every candidate I interview and change it when I send it out depending on the company’s requirements. Here is a sample my typical format