by Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D., and Katharine Hansen, Ph.D.
Thanks again for participating in our
Resume Strategy Quiz. Need help with your resume? Scroll down for information about our resume-writing service.
Here are the correct responses. How did you do? Once you've checked
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score your results!
The purpose of a resume is:
The correct response is d. All of the above.
The purpose of a resume is to sell the employer on interviewing you. Its purpose
is NOT to get you a job. Employers also use resumes to structure the interview
process. Their questions may center on having you take them through your
resume. Your resume also serves a tangible reminder of you after you've left
the interview and can be used to help your interviewer justify to management his or her decision to hire you.
A resume should:
The correct response is a. serve as a sales tool, designed to market the job-seeker to each prospective employer.
As you develop your resume, think "advertisement," not "autobiography."
The idea is not to provide every minute detail of your life and career
but to distill your life and career to the concise points that will sell
you to an employer. As a sales tool, your resume should focus on
accomplishments, not responsibilities/duties and should stick to
information that is relevant to how well you can perform a given job --
as opposed to irrelevant personal details.
The way that most career experts recommend you e-mail your resume to employers is:
The correct response is b. Send your resume as an e-mail attachment, with a text
version of your cover letter and resume also pasted into the body of the e-mail.
Sending your resume as an e-mail attachment, with a text version of your
cover letter and resume also pasted into the body of the e-mail ensures that you
have covered all the bases. Since at least 80 percent of employers place
resumes into keyword-searchable databases, the text version of your resume
pasted into your e-mail message enables the employer to immediately place
your resume into the database. The employer also has the option of printing
out a paper copy of your resume that you've sent as an e-mail attachment.
Now, keep in mind that while this protocol is the advice of MOST career experts,
requirements for submitting your resume vary from employer to employer.
Some don't want attachments because of viruses and software incompatibilities.
Others want ONLY attachments. Many employers, especially recruiters, will not
take the time to go to a Web address to view your Web-based resume. Some
employers want you to paste your resume into an online resume-submission
form. You can find submission instructions for many major employers at their
online corporate career centers; see our
Quintessential Careers Directory of
Corporate Career Centers. If an employer
does not spell out submission instructions, the best approach is to ASK!
What is the current page-number preference among employers?
The correct response is b. A two-page resume is fine if you have relevant
material to fill two pages, but don't go to more than two pages without an
extremely good reason.
Readability is, in fact, extremely important. In a recent study by Career
Masters Institute, "Professionally Written & Designed Resumes: From
Getting Noticed to Getting Interviewed," employers ranked easy readability
as the most important resume point in terms of first impressions. Thus, don't try to cram
too much information into your resume or reduce the point size so
much that you impede readability. Two-page resumes are widely accepted for
all job-seekers except new graduates, and even new grads have some leeway
if they have material worthy of two pages.
A complete job-search package includes an excellent resume and a dynamic cover letter.
The correct response is True.
A cover letter should always accompany your resume. Even though most want ads
don't specifically mention a cover letter, it is expected. Few employers will seriously
consider a resume without a letter. A cover letter tells the employer exactly what kind
of job you want to do and tailors your qualifications to that job.
Frequently the job-seeker will see this line in a rejection letter: "We chose the candidate
who provided the best fit with our needs." The cover letter is the way to show an
employer how you fit the company's needs.
Given the screening process, a cover letter may have fewer than 20 seconds to grab
an employer's attention. A well-written, interesting cover letter that opens a window
on your personality has a much better chance of enticing the employer to interview
you than a boring, formulaic one. See our
Cover Letter Resources.
An outstanding resume is a virtual guarantee that you will get the job.
The correct response is False.
Many variables can stand between an exceptional resume and a job offer. Your
resume might be great, but you might not be quite what the employer is
looking for. Or your cover letter might not be up to par. Or you don't
interview as well as you might. Or the competition is just too formidable.
A terrific resume is a huge plus, but's far from the whole ball game.
So, after brushing up your resume, be sure to take advantage of our
Interviewing Resources.
Should you use the same resume for every job you apply for?
The correct response is a. No, because a "general" resume that is
not focused on a specific job's requirements is seen as not competitive.
The idea of changing your resume for every opening may seem overwhelming,
but if you really want to succeed, that's what you'll do. It's not that
much trouble to tailor your resume to each job because you don't have to
change everything. Use this quick Resume Tailoring Checklist:
Change your Objective Statement for each job you apply for.
Tweak your Qualifications Summary or Professional profile section for each job.
If you use a chrono-functional format, re-configure your functional skills clusters so that the most relevant skill for each job you apply to is
listed first. See Question 9 for more about this format.
And far from thinking you're a suck-up, the employer will be extremely
impressed that you tailored your resume to this specific opening.
What different versions of your resume should you consider, depending on your situation?
The correct response is d. All of the above.
At the very least every job-seeker today needs a formatted "print" resume for
mailing, faxing, and presenting at the interview, as well as a text-based
version of your resume for electronic submissions. As noted in Question 3,
sending your resume in text-based format directly in an e-mail message removes
all obstacles to an employer's placing your resume right into a searchable
database. If that's the case, why do you still need the formatted, "print"
resume in document form sent as an attachment? Because the employer may want to
print out your resume to review it, especially once the database search has
narrowed down the candidates, and the formatted, print version will be more
reader-friendly than the text-based version. You'll also want to have a print
version of your resume on hand to take to interviews and for occasions when
employers request resumes in "old-fashioned" ways -- by mail or fax.
You may also want to consider a Web-based version of your resume to be published
on a Web page, which is advantageous in a number of ways:
Employers can access your resume 24/7. If you're talking on the phone with an
employer in another city who wants to see a copy of your resume, you can simply
refer the employer to the Web address where your resume resides.
Resumes published on the Web enable passive job-seeking because employers
sometimes find your resume on the Web using various search mechanisms.
A resume published on the Web enables you to include links to work samples
(written work, graphic design, other Web pages you've designed, photographs,
reports, etc.) that can demonstrate your skills to employers.
If Web design is a career you are pursuing, a Web-based resume can show
off your design skills.
A chrono-functional resume should be considered by:
The correct response is d. All of the above.
Chrono-functional resumes can be very useful in addressing problematic
aspects of your job history. A chrono-functional resume is organized around
functional skills clusters. After listing 3-4 skills clusters and showing how
you've demonstrated those skills, you would have a bare-bones work history at the bottom.
Read more about
chrono-functional formats and see samples.
To give your resume a pleasing appearance, consider the following:
The correct response is a. Adequate white space, bullets, type in a readable
size, judicious use of type varieties (such as bold and italics), and an occasional rule line.
These guidelines, which apply to PRINT resumes only, will give your resume
a visually appealing appearance. Moderate use of tables and columns is
acceptable -- we use tables in designing resumes for IT professionals --
but don't over do it, and remember that the more formatting you use, the
more you will have to remove when you convert your resume to text format
for electronic submission.
Photos should NEVER be placed on U.S. resumes; U.S. employers absolutely
don't want to see them and will often black them out with a marker if they
appear. The reason is that they don't want to be sued for discrimination
if you're not hired.
Underlining and all caps add clutter to a print resume. We'd suggest limiting
use of all caps and avoiding underlining altogether.
Which of the following should you include on your resume:
The correct response is d. None of the above.
None of the listed items belong on your resume. See
this page of
our Resume Tutorial for a complete list of things never to list on your resume on your resume.
The most effective way to produce a resume is to use a template in Microsoft Word.
The correct response is False.
Microsoft Word templates are certainly an easy way to produce a resume,
but they are instantly recognizable to employers as having been created from a
Word template. There's nothing wrong with that, per se, except that employers
have seen a million of them, so they don't stand out. They are also somewhat
inflexible and contain some incorrect formatting.
In a recent survey of hiring managers, these resume characteristics were rated at or near the top of employer preferences:
The correct response is d. All of the above.
In the recent study by Career Masters Institute, "Professionally Written & Designed
Resumes: From Getting Noticed to Getting Interviewed," employers ranked easy
readability as the most important resume point in terms of first impressions. Use
of bullets was the 2nd-highest ranked point by employers, and density of type
(paragraphs rather than bullet points) was ranked highly as a factor that would
inspire employers to discard a resume. Clear presentation of the job-seeker's
job history also ranked highly.
Of employers who prefer to receive resumes via e-mail attachment,
what is the preferred word-processing format:
The correct response is c. Microsoft Word.
While some employers prefer PDF format for the consistency of appearance from
computer to computer, very few employers want WordPerfect or HTML formats.
The key is to carefully note the employer's specifications in the ad or job posting
you respond to. You can find submission instructions for many major employers
at their online corporate career centers; see our
Quintessential Careers
Directory of these Company Career Centers. If
no instructions appear, contact the company to ask what word-processing format
is preferred for attachments.
You should NOT consider a chrono-functional resume if:
You never know when you might have an opportunity to share your resume
with someone, so keep it close at hand. Keep copies in your briefcase, attache case,
or at the very least, keep some in your car. We know of a job-seeker who
received a job interview on an airplane because by chance his seat was
located next to that of a hiring manager. After some initial small talk,
the discussion turned to business, and because this job-seeker had followed
our advice and brought his resume with him, he was actually able to have an
impromptu interview right there on the plane.
Once you distribute your resume to prospective employers, your strategy should be which of the following?
The correct answer is c. Plan a detailed follow-up schedule with each employer.
Most employers are inundated with far too many job applications to possibly answer each one.
Employers simply do not have the time or resources to deal with the increasing number of job
applicants. Microsoft Corp., for example, says it receives 45,000 resumes a month. The best
employers try, but the burden is on the job-seeker to develop a follow-up plan with each employer.
You must proactively manage each application and follow-up accordingly -- by phone, email, or
postal mail. Be assertive and persistent in requesting an interview, but do not be annoying or rude.
Remember the old adage about the squeaky wheel getting the grease.
To make your resume stand out, it's a good idea to have it printed on paper in bright, shocking colors.
The correct response is False.
Flamboyant colors might be considered in extremely rare circumstances, such as
applying for a job in a highly creative field, but as a general rule, toned-down colors
are best. You can't go wrong with white. Cream, ivory, tan, buff, gray, and very light
pastels also are acceptable.
Whenever possible, job-seekers should pre-register for career fairs -- or at least
obtain the list of recruiting companies -- so that they can bring different versions of their
resumes for different employers and different positions.
The correct response is True.
Many job-seekers go to fairs to "see the sights" and are not prepared to interview.
You can get a huge jump on the competition by getting a list of the companies
attending the fair, doing some research on each of the companies you want to interview
with, and tailoring your resume to each of the companies you're interested in; don't
waste time with companies that do not interest you. While all of the recruiters will have
company literature at their booths at the fair, you often can't access those until after the
interview. With so much information about companies on the Web, there is no excuse
not to do your homework. Bring lots of resumes to the fair -- at least two for each
company for which you have an interest. If you have multiple interests or job objectives,
make sure you bring enough of each version of your resume. You should also bring scannable
versions of your resumes. More and more recruiters are simply bringing these collected
stacks of resumes back to the corporate office and scanning them into a database. Need
assistance with developing a scannable resume? Then visit our
scannable resume fundamentals.
For more about career fairs, see
The Ten Keys to Success at Job and Career Fairs.
If you have an e-mail address such as Nasty_Chick@domainname.com, it's best to change
it or use an alternate, more professional e-mail address on your resume.
The correct response is True.
Pretty obvious, eh? Yet we continue to see job-seekers use highly inappropriate e-mail
addresses. Remember, your e-mail address says something about who you are, so be
as professional as possible.
Questions about some of the terminology used in this quiz? Get more information (definitions and links) on key college, career, and job-search
terms by going to our Job-Seeker's Glossary of Job-Hunting Terms.
Katharine Hansen, Ph.D., creative director and associate
publisher of Quintessential Careers, is an educator, author,
and blogger who provides content for Quintessential Careers,
edits QuintZine,
an electronic newsletter for jobseekers, and blogs about storytelling
in the job search at A Storied
Career. Katharine, who earned her PhD in organizational behavior
from Union Institute & University, Cincinnati, OH, is author of Dynamic
Cover Letters for New Graduates and A Foot in the Door: Networking
Your Way into the Hidden Job Market (both published by Ten Speed Press),
as well as Top Notch Executive Resumes (Career Press); and with
Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D., Dynamic Cover Letters, Write Your
Way to a Higher GPA (Ten Speed), and The Complete Idiot's Guide
to Study Skills (Alpha). Visit her
personal Website
or reach her by e-mail at
kathy(at)quintcareers.com.
Dr. Randall S. Hansen is founder of Quintessential Careers,
one of the oldest and most comprehensive career development sites on the Web, as well CEO of
EmpoweringSites.com. He is also founder of
MyCollegeSuccessStory.com and
EnhanceMyVocabulary.com. He is publisher of
Quintessential Careers Press,
including the Quintessential Careers electronic newsletter,
QuintZine. Dr. Hansen is also a
published author, with several books, chapters in books, and hundreds of articles. He's often
quoted in the media and conducts empowering workshops around the country. Finally, Dr. Hansen is
also an educator, having taught at the college level for more than 15 years. Visit his
personal Website or
reach him by email at randall(at)quintcareers.com.
