BRAC Inbound

When looking for a good job, especially in a competitive market, there is no time to fool around. Never mind what doesn't work, focus on what works. The information provided below on frequently asked questions on resumes and cover letters is a consensus of the opinions of a number of experienced human resource professionals and is presented as their best advice on the subject.

A. A resume is a marketing instrument that serves a number of purposes. Recruiters and hiring managers use it primarily to determine whether or not they want to talk to you. Also, your references and network contacts use it as a tool to familiarize themselves with your goals and abilities. Finally, interviewers use your resume to structure the interview. With so much riding on this document, it should concisely summarize your key qualifications for the type of position desired.

A. For about 3 or 4 years after graduation, education is placed up front on the resume. For professions where the degree is a primary qualification such as physicians, lawyers and university professors, education tends to also appear first on the resume. However, for the rest of the U.S. applicant pool, education tends to be placed towards the end of the resume because potential employers are more interested in recent related work experience.

A. No. Take credit for continuing education courses and training if they support your qualifications. Include work toward a degree, even if it was not or not yet obtained. For example: “Working toward BS in Accounting, University of Akron, Akron, OH - Expected graduation June, (year).”

A. Yes. View the summary as a statement of the compelling reasons why a potential employer should call you. The summary, also called the impact statement, should be an organized representation of your key qualifications, key personal traits, areas of expertise and significant accomplishments that support your candidacy for the type of job you seek.

A. Most broadly you should describe your primary areas of career interest or expertise. You should also bullet point significant accomplishments and/or recognitions received. The important point here is to gear the summary of qualifications to highlight your strengths, skills and traits that best match with the needs of the potential employer.

A. Yes, especially if you are in a technical field. In the summary, list your strongest areas first. Typically, the technical summary is placed toward the end of the resume; however, if technical skills are key qualifications for you, then you may want to place a technical summary prominently up front on the resume. Some resume writers combine the technical summary with the summary of qualifications. Even if you are not technical, you should at least have a computer skills section that lists the software and/or hardware in which you are proficient.

A. Whether or not to include an objective on your resume is a judgment call. Some experts recommend it primarily because it helps the resume reader to know exactly the type of job you seek. This is especially relevant where you are new to the job market or are changing careers. However, if you are staying in the same field, it's probably not needed, especially if you are using a summary of qualifications as discussed above. The danger of using an objective statement is that if it is different from what the potential employer has in mind, or it is too restrictive, they may not continue to read your resume.

A. Most experts suggest one to two pages max. Most potential employers won't read beyond two pages. For specialized areas of technology, law, medicine, research and development and academia, resumes are expected to be longer, especially if patents, publications or conference presentations are important.

A. Chronological resumes are the most common type. This is a resume that shows a detailed job history in reverse chronological order. Most resume readers like to see a progression of learning and responsibility and the sequence and logic of the positions held.

A. A functional resume is one that has an extensive summary organized around several functional areas and highlights skills and accomplishments rather than your work history. It is used primarily for people who are changing career fields or have a portfolio of jobs. The type of resume helps make the case for why you should be considered for a job by focusing attention on strengths and achievements that support the qualifications required by prospective employers.

A. All Internet job sites and many employers are using technology to digitize and store your resume. Resumes are retrieved using a query, which pulls them based on keywords. For example, if the potential employer is looking for an accountant, then they will probably use “accounting” and related words to search the database. The implication is that the keywords that describe your background and those traits and skills that match up to the type of job you seek should be included in your resume.

Q. Should I include the names and contact information of my references on my resume?

A. No, wait until the potential employer asks you for these names. The advantage is that you can select the most appropriate references to the job at hand. This will also give you can chance to give your references a heads-up prior to the potential employer calling them. You may also jeopardize the privacy of your references as your resume is circulating in the market. Also, you don't need to use the phrase “References Furnished Upon Request,” as everyone furnishes references upon request.

A. No, this information may be used to screen you out. It's better to wait until they ask for this information in the interview or on an application. The later in the process this information transpires the better for you because it gives you more time to build value in the eyes of the potential employer.

A. No. Just as with the salary history question, being able to discuss these reasons during an interview is best; otherwise, they might use the information to screen you out early in the process.

A. While it is good to accurately portray the work you did, most job descriptions are boring. The more succinct the description of your work is and the better highlighted your accomplishments are, the easier it will be for the potential employer to decide to talk to you.

A. It is commonly recommended that you use a three-part statement. Some call it PAR statement. The parts are:

A = what action did you specifically take to resolve this problem. If you were part of a team, what was your role in the team and what did you actually do?

R = what were the results of your actions. When possible, it's best to quantify these results into numbers, dollars or percentages.

For example, a good PAR statement might read: Improved declining customer turnover, by personally calling current clients, which resulted in a 25 percent increase in renewals.

A. This is a judgment call. Some experts say no, since it might call attention to your age. However, others believe that you should account for all of your work and education history, so having the date gives the potential employer important information, particularly if you have achieved a college or postgraduate degree recently.

A. Yes, generally it is recommended to account for all of your time. Leaving off 10 years could cause the potential employer to wonder what you were doing during that time or to wonder what else you aren't telling. Try summarizing the jobs, which are less important into one or two lines. For example, “1970 –1975 completed corporate HR training program with assignments in recruiting, compensation and employee communications.”

Q. What format should I use for my dates of employment, months and years or years only?

A. Generally, potential employers like the months and years format because it gives them a detailed job history that will highlight any gaps. However, if you have an employment gap, which you would like to downplay, then use the years-only format.

A. It depends. Include awards, organizational affiliations and outside activities if they support your story and add strength to your qualifications. For instance, you may show membership in a church committee if you are chairman or work with a little league baseball team if you are manager or hold a leadership position in the sponsoring organization. Always think in terms of will this information impress a potential employer ?

A. Generally, yes. However, follow the employers' instructions such that if they request it be faxed or mailed, by all means do so. Using e-mail has become a commonly accepted practice. Recently some experts have suggested sending the resume in the mail in addition to e-mail as a way of making your resume stand out from the hundreds of others.

A. There are three formats for a resume that can be used when sending it via e-mail: Word Document, Rich Text Format and Plain Text. Deciding which format to use depends upon what the receiving organization requests. First, if they ask for a Word Document, then send them one. Secondly, if they request it be sent as an attachment, but the format is specified, then send it in the Rich Text Format. Finally, the Plain Text is very well suited for uploading to electronic databases or where the resume is going to be scanned.

Here is an example of using the “Save As” function in Word 2000 to save the resume into Text Only format:

Click on File.
Click on Save As.
On the dialogue box at the bottom titled “Save as type.”
Click on the arrow and select the Text Only option.
Click on OK.
Close the document.
Reopen the document.
Edit the document to the way you want it.
Save the document.

You can do the same for a Rich Text format document, substituting Rich Text for Text Only.

A. Yes, definitely. Many employers will not consider candidates who have typographical or grammatical errors in their resume or cover letter. It is also good to have someone in your field read the resume for content. Ask them if, from their point of view, the resume communicates information that supports your job objective.

A. Using action verbs to describe your duties and accomplishments is more descriptive than passive verbs and helps the resume reader comprehend what you've done. For example, instead of saying “responsible for analyzing customer satisfaction data,” you could say, “Analyzed customer satisfaction data and provided reports to management highlighting areas for improvement.” Instead of saying, “Duties included safety procedures,” you could say, “Maintained a strong safety record by reducing loss time accidents by 50 percent.” Here are some more examples of common resume action verbs:

Streamlined	Implemented	Merged	Resolved
Planned	Built	Created	Developed
Led	Designed	Managed	Turned around

A. Yes, but use caution. The Internet will give you more exposure than you would get otherwise, but there are some pitfalls. Some candidates are concerned about the loss of control over where their resume goes and who sees it. Others worry about privacy violation and potential identity theft. In deciding to post or not, consider the following: 1) post only at “name brand” sites where the employers have to pay to view resumes; 2) consider cloaking your identity by giving only your email address as a contact; and 3) if currently employed, substitute a generic description of your employer rather than use the exact name.

A. A cover letter is a transmittal document that accompanies the resume and gives essential information about you to aid the resume reader in making a decision on how to handle your resume.

Q. Should I use a cover letter at all? Some people are saying that a cover letter is no longer needed with the advent of e-mail?

A. Yes, most resume readers expect to see a cover letter, even if they don't read it. It is a sign that you are serious. It is especially impressive if they believe that you spent some time to customize the letter to the job.

A. Your letter should include: how you found out about the job, which job you are applying for, what are some of your key qualifications and a request for an interview.

A. When responding to an ad or Internet posting, the “Q” lists the company's requirements in one column and your related qualifications in a column next to it. For example, here is the “Q” response to a recent ad:

Your Requirements	My Qualifications
At least five years materials management experience.	More than five years of successful materials management experience.
Knowledge of ERP Systems.	Implemented ERP system that saved company $10k.
Leadership Skills.	Lead a cross functional team to plan and implement relocation of manufacturing operation from SC to MA. Came in on time and under budget.

Q. Should I send my cover letter as part of the body of the e-mail or as an attachment?

A. It is best to send it as part of the body of the e-mail, since it is less likely to get opened or read as an attachment.

Thanks to Jack Huxtable, SPHR (President, Cornerstone Consulting, LLC, Hudson, Ohio), Cherie Sprague, SPHR (Principal, Peak Executive Resources, Colorado Springs, CO) and Kevin Wilson, SPHR, Senior Consultant, King & Bishop, Waltham, MA), all of the SHRM Employment Committee for contributing this article.

Frequently Asked Questions About Resumes And Cover Letters