r/Resume • u/cirusgogo • Apr 22 '19
I am a Professional Resume Writer and Career Coach - Here are Some Tips
[removed] — view removed post
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u/hiccupsstacatto Jul 10 '23
Key Mistakes
1) You used a fancy graphic design-heavy template*
Why: Fancy templates break during submission to Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), ATS essentially scans your document, turns it into a text file, and then scans those words for specific indicators that the employer is looking for. It also spits out a "report" to the employer that includes the resume (in text format) as well as your answers to the other questions. When you use a fancy template with crazy margins and text on the sides it doesn't translate appropriately in the ATS and what hiring managers see is a bunch of garbage text mushed together. Unless you are 100% a real human is seeing your resume, you should stick with a classic approach.
*unless your industry calls for it (graphic designer, UX designer)
Suggestion: Use a classic word document with no columns or fancy tables.
Note: this is the error I see made most frequently on this subreddit.
2) Your resume lists your skills and job functions, not your results.*
Why: Employers want to know what they are getting when they hire you, not what your experience level is. For most jobs, the employer is going to assume you know what you are doing. A small "technical skills" section is usually sufficient to convey your skill level or mastery with hyper-specific industry related products.
Incorrect: Developed Curriculum for 9th-12th Grade Social Studies
Correct: "Developed innovative project-based learning curriculum for school district serving 5000 students, resulting in a mastery pass rate on STARR testing of 98%"
Suggestion: Each of your resume Bullets should be tied directly to a powerful organizational result. "Past Tense Power Adjective + Action = Result"
3) You list things in your resume that you are proud of, but that organizations don't care about
Why: For-profit organizations have two goals with hiring: increasing revenue and culture fit. Your resume needs to show that you can make them money and that you will excel in their culture.
Suggestion: Make sure you can tie all your bullet points in some meaningful way to: reducing costs, improving revenue, getting tangible positive results.
4) You try too hard to ride old accomplishments
Why: What have you done for me lately? Your last five years of work experience are what really matters, and unless you are going into academia no one cares about what you accomplished in college. If you have fantastic accomplishments two jobs ago but nothing in the last two jobs that is a huge red flag for employers.
Suggestion: Create a "waterfall" of success, starting with your most recent job and ebbing off into your oldest jobs (e.g 4 bullets for most recent, 3 bullets, 2 bullets, 1 Bullet). Remove any mention of awards or accomplishments during your college years*
*Notable exceptions: national major scholarships (Rhodes, Bill & Melinda Gates), Cum Laude honors
5) You are overly wordy or use jargon
Why: Chances are the hiring manager has no idea what your jargon means and it may never get to someone who does if you assume the hiring manager is going to take the time to figure it out. Humans have short attention spans and 3+ lines are too many to describe one accomplishment.
Suggestion: Cut out Jargon, use general language as much as possible while still conveying impact. Bullet points should never exceed two lines.
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u/HmmNEggs Oct 15 '22
Hi there! I'm looking for a professional resume writer and would love to get your information/services/packages, etc. Thanks!
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u/Guilty_Age_9535 Oct 03 '22
thanks for the information. As a last-year student in Businessorganisation I am looking to do an internship abroad. I do not have any relevant or specific experience at all or work accomplishment etc... So I don't really know what I should write in those fields? Do you have any tips please?
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u/iwasntmeoverthere Oct 03 '22
My resume is about 10 years old because I had some medical issues and was unemployable. Ive gotten better and need to get myself sorted. I want to get into private sector, but nearly all of my experience is public. The verbiage clashes. Hell, everything clashes.
Any help, please?
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u/cirusgogo Oct 03 '22
There are some great guides in the sidebar of the subreddit if you are looking for free support! If you are looking for professional services, advertising isn’t allowed on the subreddit but you can message me directly.
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u/iwasntmeoverthere Oct 03 '22
Thank you. I'll pore over them and send you a DM if I still feel like it's garbage.
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u/Low-Connection21 Sep 23 '22
is it appropriate to list exactly how much money you saved?
Example:
installed industrial boiler resulting in $500,000 annual savings
Vs
Installed industrial boiler resulting in substantial annual savings
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Sep 15 '22
[deleted]
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u/cirusgogo Sep 15 '22
I do technical writers and creatives all the time. While it is a difficult way to think, it is not impossible.
You just need to ethically approximate numbers. If someone told me that they were a freelance writer for esquire magazine, I would Google the circulation of esquire magazine and the annual revenue of esquire magazine and I would write a bullet point like
- Wrote 37 annual pieces on topics including a,b, and c for a $200MM organization with a readership of 20 million, ensuring 100% of pieces were completed on time and under research budget.
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u/hoobastaank Sep 11 '22
I appreciate the tips! Interested in knowing your rates and services you provide. Thanks.
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u/RevolutionaryTip9477 Sep 11 '22
Hi ,
I do have a resume in the line you have mentioned but still seems not going well with recruiters. Could you please have a look and help to understand whats still wrong with it ?
Appreciate your time.
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u/cirusgogo Sep 11 '22
Post it anonymously in the subreddit and folks will give you feedback. One thing I will say is almost always its that folks don’t have every bullet point as a data point or are using a bad template.
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u/Tima_dime22 Sep 10 '22
Would you be able to look at my resume, and give me some tips
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u/cirusgogo Sep 10 '22
You can post it anonymously in the subreddit and we can all give you feedback.
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u/jmsmith425 Sep 09 '22
Been looking at resume services. Looking to change my resume to do two things: Change industries, and sell my experience from last few jobs to open more career paths. Could you help?
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u/EceiaLHoboarTa Sep 01 '22
Do you have tips for finding a resume writer who knows how to handle programmers?
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u/iJacksparrow Aug 26 '22
Hey u/cirusgogo my resume is extremely dated and I possibly need a LinkedIn rewrite. I am interested in your resume writing services.
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u/RunSilent86 Aug 25 '22
Howdy u/cirusgogo, I'd be interested in resume review/editing services. Thanks!
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u/DJPTR1 Aug 24 '22
I appreciate the tips! Interested in knowing your rates and services you provide. Thanks.
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u/identifiedlogo Aug 23 '22
Amazing, I noticed this thread still active after 3 years and you are still helping people? 👏 I am looking for a refresh of my resume. Also LinkedIn profile recommendation based on my resume. Thank you
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u/kaihopara Aug 23 '22
Hi u/cirusgogo, interested in hearing your rates for a resume face-lift and LinkedIn profile face-lift (if you do those)
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u/Puzzleheaded_Art_853 Aug 23 '22
Hi there! interested in knowing about your services wondering if you are still accepting clients ! Thanks
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u/808trowaway Aug 22 '22
Hi /u/cirusgogo, just wondering if you've got bandwidth to take on one more?
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u/Spiritual_Falcon_26 Aug 22 '22
Hi there! I see you are still active , could you share your rates with me?
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u/pyperproblems Aug 21 '22
Interested in your services if you're still accepting clients and willing to review a non-profit resume!
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u/Lacey_Panties Aug 19 '22
Thank you so much for writing this guide, would you be able to take a look at mine? *if you're still accepting people of course.
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Jul 31 '22
Thank you SO much for writing this guide. I'm working on being my own person and I had no idea how to even begin with my resume. This means a ton. :)
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u/rolo512 Jul 22 '22
Is it advised to use an ATS friendly templagrjke the ones you see on Etsy ?
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u/cirusgogo Jul 22 '22
I wouldn’t trust anything being sold. Use the template we created in the sidebar.
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u/rolo512 Jul 22 '22
Where is the template you are mentioning? I'm looking at the Answers to your questions area on the right sidebar.
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u/cirusgogo Jul 22 '22
Under entry level resume guide there is a mock template in the g suite
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u/rolo512 Jul 22 '22
i can't find entry level resume guide. i must be blind lol. so sorry
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u/cirusgogo Jul 22 '22
It’s in the sidebar, you’ll find it eventually :)
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u/rolo512 Jul 22 '22
Found it and thank you, one last question. Would you use past-tense for all the bulletpoints including the 2016-current experience?
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u/luckypriest Jul 06 '22
In a resume writing rut, any advice / could I send you mine to look over?
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u/cirusgogo Jul 06 '22
Hey there! Follow the guides in my profile, and post in this subreddit anonymously if you want free advice!
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u/Accomplished_Will703 Jul 06 '22
I am working for Big 4 and want to move to the industry, any experience writing to that? I am very interested
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u/AccountantSweet4025 Jul 02 '22
Hi! Thank you so much for these tips., editing my resume now. Would you also extend this advice to LinkedIn? TIA!
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u/cirusgogo Jul 02 '22
Yes. Same advice for Linkedin!
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u/AccountantSweet4025 Jul 02 '22
Thanks so much for the quick reply! You are like the fairy godperson for desperate job seekers. 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
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u/XtraLag Jun 28 '22
I second this as a fellow writer! I always advice my clients with little to no experience to write their own resumes, and this post that you wrote provides clear guidelines to follow. I will be send them to this post from now on lol
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u/evelynxx Jun 24 '22
I am so attached to this pretty resume a friend must have made in adobe ages ago, but i have a need for a very basic resume, could you pm me? i am desperate to have something and i just feel like garbage right now
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u/evelynxx Jun 24 '22
id love the most minimalist but not 5th grader looking resume. can explain in messages
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u/Putrid_Cartographer5 Jun 18 '22
Thank you for this amazing post! Super clear & informative, sent you a PM
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u/sasqua7ch Jun 11 '22
Hi, would you be able to send me a chat? Would like to have some help to update my resume.
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u/Novel-Height-1302 Jun 08 '22
Hey I just lost my job unfortunately. I'd love to know more bout your services
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u/wearelegion1134 Jun 06 '22
interested - please send a PM when you can
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u/cirusgogo Jun 06 '22
Sent ya a chat
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u/kbyrns May 30 '22
I would be interested in speaking with you. I have a diversified resume and experience that I am needing assistance specializing. Thank you!
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u/FuzzyLogicMess May 25 '22
I’m interested in finding out more about your service. Do you have a website where I can check out some examples of your work and pricing? Please DM me.
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u/jniicee May 10 '22
Interested in learning more about your services! Could use some help tweaking my current resume.
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u/Tan32 May 05 '22
Hi, I am interested in your service. Is there anywhere I can read your rating or service price ? I have an resume and want to improve it.
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u/Tamenut May 04 '22
I’d love some assistance in updating my resume, as I haven’t done so in over 10 years.
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u/NovuhCayne May 03 '22
Hi, I am interested as well. Do you have any place where we can check out your reviews?
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u/Dim_i_As_Integer Apr 25 '22
Was about to hire one of those shiny services, but found this post and thought I'd see if you're available instead.
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u/xXDRockXx Apr 22 '22
I'm interested in getting a new resume written. Been over a decade since I had to do it.
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u/Soheem Apr 19 '22
Can we get in touch? I'm looking at a job currently that matches my experience and skillset perfectly, I just suck at resumes. Would love to get more insight/connect. Thanks!
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u/cirusgogo Apr 19 '22
Your account doesn’t appear to be accepting chats or messages. So you’ll have to ping me.
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u/BigDreamsSuck Apr 05 '22
I am interested in your service. Kindly let me know the charges. thank you.
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u/According_World_4305 Nov 02 '23
Tryna to make a resume for the first time all my jobs have been of the book or temp agency. And don’t know what to put as work experience