The former human resources vice president of a large multinational corporation, who reviewed more than 10,000 resumes and conducted more than 4,000 job interviews while in that position, has suggested a number of ways BYU-Hawaii students hoping to jump-start their careers can write a world-class resume.
William J. Brady, who formerly worked for Bechtel Corporation and is now Director of Corporate Development/Career Management in BYU's Marriott School of Management, told those in the Entrepreneurship Lecture Series on October 12 he found that "some of our students, when they went out to present themselves to their employers, were not presenting the best possible picture they could."
"They forgot what a resume is. In reality, it's a way to sell yourself to get an interview," he said. "It's important to target your resume to the audience that's interested in you. We even suggest every time you apply for a certain job, you rewrite and target your resume for that job."
Brady went on to share a number of resume do's and don'ts:
"A resume is not a personal autobiography. Likewise, it's not an exhaustive list of everything you've ever done," he said. "We tell our graduate students to not even mention high school."
"It's designed to be read. We're not writing a book, but rather an outline that's going to be scanned.
"You've got to be professional and forward in conveying information," Brady continued, stressing that spelling and correct grammar are very important. "It's not the place for mistakes, wacky formatting or strange prose."
"You need to provide me details that would be valuable in knowing why I should hire you; but it is not a data dump. You don't want to put so much detail that the reader gets bored."
For students who don't have much experience, Brady first suggested figuring out activities they might have done that had business applications, such as doing yard work, or working in family businesses, "even though you may not have been paid."
"The next thing I would suggest is to find an internship. Those are very valuable additions to your experience. We're finding that many of the employers today are saying, if you don't have experience, I can find someone who does."
"Focus on results and show what you have achieved. The fact that you worked hard is valuable," Brady said. "Demonstrate how the employer can win with your abilities. Remember to focus on what's important to the employer."
And focus on it near the top of the resume, Brady added, noting that in his experience if a resume reader "couldn't find something interesting within 10-15 seconds, it went into the deep file [rubbish]."
"Find out what's important to that employer. Use alumni and other contacts to find out. Read the job announcement carefully," he said, pointing out that education is very important to employers.
"They want to buy your experience. This is the proof that you can apply that knowledge." Brady added that "new resume style" includes writing a narrative right after the title of the position you held, that talks about what you did, what you accomplished.
He also said, "The appearance of your resume attracts. The content holds them. A good resume has some white space. We want very quick, easily accessed information. It has to be very readable, with a stylish font. Make it so I can see what's on there."
Other tips: "Most recruiters look for key words. They will read longer if it attracts their attention."
"You don't have to say "anticipated," "projected," "expected" or "planned." Your employer can figure it out."
"Use active verbs. Start your sentences with those verbs."
"You don't have to say 'responsible for,' or I, me, my. It's your resume, and we assume it's you."
He also said it's good for returned missionaries to stress their volunteer service, but "don't misrepresent mission responsibilities," he added, telling of a mission finance clerk who equated that to being a CFO."
Later in the day, Brady met with students in the Career Center to review their resumes, and spoke that evening on being a "job search survivor" in the "jungle out there."
He also recommended students go to careerjournal.com careerjournal.com for good online help.