Confusion is Not Compelling

I’m sure Connie understands her background really well. But her resume is a jumbled mess. She lost me early on and I suspect I’m not the only one.

When you’re disorganized about presenting your experience, it looks suspicious. You’re probably not trying to hide anything, but confusion leads to questions. If the recruiter doesn’t understand the resume, it’s probably going in the trash. And remember that focusing heavily on extracurricular activities is fine (if your role demonstrates a skill needed in the position) but keep it concise. Remember, space is limited and career related activities are typically more compelling.

1. This is an awkward statement – three incomplete sentences mashed together for an unclear purpose. If not using complete sentences, stick with bullet points. Otherwise, write one clear and concise sentence to grab the reviewer’s attention.

2. The degree indicates your coursework. Don’t waste space with this information.

3. This section is a bit confusing. Was this work done as an independent contractor? How long were you working on your own if so? Or is this a part of education? Were these projects worked on during school? If so, there are far too many listed here. If there is one that particularly stands out, highlight it. Otherwise, remove this entire section.

4. This is a lot of information for leadership activities. Focus more on career accomplishments rather than outlining duties of extracurricular activities. If this is an area that particularly demonstrates the qualifications needed for this position, switch the focus to accomplishments rather than duties.