I had been doing part-time resume writing throughout much of my 10-year career in agency and internal recruitment before taking it full-time about two years ago. Since then, I've helped write over 700 résumés.
There are lots of résumé writing gimmicks out there claiming that certain design elements, keywords, or page counts will land you a job, but I say keep it simple and focus on the content.
There are a few non-negotiables that should be on a résumé
Every résumé should have contact information like your email and phone number.
I also recommend including a one-to-two sentence value statement near the top of the résumé, which includes years of experience, the types of roles you've had, and the types of organisations you've worked for, quantified by head count and revenue.
Stay away from vague descriptions like "I'm a results-driven leader with a proven track record of operational excellence." Your goal is to present the facts, leave nothing up for interpretation, and make the recruiter's job easy by serving them the important information directly.
I constantly tell people to add certain information to their resumes
The most common thing I suggest people add to their resumes is company summaries for every previous place of employment.
This is a one-to-two-line blurb describing its product, service, geographic scope, head count, and revenue. This information gives the recruiter more context so they don't have to look up the company, and it's also an opportunity to show off what exactly you have experience with.
For example, mentioning that you worked for a similarly sized company or sold a similar product as the company you're applying for may broaden your appeal to the recruiter.
Some things are better left off resumes
The most common thing I recommend clients remove from their resumes is overly stylistic design choices like images or logos. They won't get you rejected by applicant tracking systems, but in some cases, they make it more difficult for the software to parse your information correctly.
I also advise people to remove certain soft skills, such as "good communication" or "results-driven." Anyone can say they have good communication, but it's meaningless without context or proof.
Content is more important than résumé length
A one-page résumé is typically appropriate for new graduates or folks with a few years of work experience, but people with more experience may need up to a three-page résumé. I have about 10 to 15 years of professional experience, and my résumé is two and a half pages.
I typically see a need for even longer resumes for government, medical, or academic roles that require certifications, publications, or other important credentials.
There's a widely held belief that rsums need to fit on a page, but a recruiter should not be turned off by a longer rsum. I probably would've been fired on the spot from my previous recruiting jobs if I denied candidates strictly based on their résumé length.
Some people have sent me 20-plus-page resumes with only five years of experience, which totally missed the mark. But if a candidate's experience is good, it's not a reason for immediate disqualification.
Above all, keep it simple
Regardless of résumé length, you want your professional experience to start on the first page. Sometimes I see résumes that don't even list someone's most recent job until the second page. You don't want that. People shouldn't have to search through your résumé to find your professional experience.
Use a clear font, black ink, and rely on metrics-driven reasoning to tell the story of why you're the right fit for the job. Keep it simple.
