Resume: 3 Areas to Address Under Employment History
As co-owner and managing partner of a staffing firm in Las Vegas, my business partner and I have perused through thousands of resumes – most are very hard to read because it is hard to find substantive information related to the job they are currently seeking. Together, we have encountered only a few dozen resumes worthy to read all the way through, mainly because they were structured properly, they used bullet points instead of long paragraphs to explain their job duties and contributions, and they used key words that leaped off the page. Recruiters only have about eight to ten-seconds to look through a resume to see if it is viable for the short pile of desirable candidates to interview.
One particular area of a resume where candidates can do better is the area of their “employment history”. This area is the “meat” of your resume. It is where recruiters can find and gathter specific data to consider you for the job. Listed below are three vitals that need to be covered under each area of employment history.
1. Responsibilities – What did you actually do?
Your job duties or responsibilities are crucial to list, but only a pithy description will do. A recruiter wants to know what you were responsible for, and the scope of your job. I personally prefer “bullet-points” over “paragraphs”. Three, one sentence bullet points are preferred, which explain your top three key responsibilities. You may have done much more, but only three areas are needed that fit perfectly with the next job you are seeking.
2. Results – What happened under your watch?
The second item that recruiters would like to know is what were the results while you occupied that position. What did you bring to the table that made a difference in that organization, in that department or in your position? Only one or two bullet points are needed here. Perhaps you came up with a breakthrough idea that was implemented across the organization, which created better processes and proficiency that led to profits.
3. Rewards – How were you recognized?
The final area only requires one bullet point, specifying how you were recognized for your achievements and contributions. Did you receive a quarterly or monthly award? What kind of award was it? Was it a departmental award, sales award or a national one? Did they bring you up during a banquet to acknowledge you? Did your award come in the form of a plaque, promotion, raise or bonus?
These three areas are critical for a recruiter to know and to consider you for the next job interview, and the job you are seeking. We tend to coach the job seekers on how they can change their existing resume to one that will get them through the door in front of your next employer.
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