3 Easy Ways to Simplify Your Resume

3 Easy Ways to Simplify Your Resume 3 Easy Ways to Simplify Your Resume Theres a lot of conflicting advice out there about resumes. Some experts say an objective is necessary, while others urge job seekers to ditch it in favor of a summary. Debate rages on about the relative merits of functional and chronological formats. Experts cant even agree on whether it should be one page or twoIts easy to get bogged down in the details and lose sight of your resumes actual purpose to clearly and quickly communicate your value to a potential employer. Thats a tall order, especially in such a small space, so focus on the three most important qualities of a great resume it should be easy to scan, up to date, and error free.Easy to ScanOn average, hiring managers will spend less than 10 seconds looking at your resume. Luckily, there are several ways you can make your resume easier to scan.Career advisor Mark Cenedella recommends narrowing your career goal, condensing your opening summary, editin g your work experience, consolidating your education, being choosy about your skills and streamlining your What can you do for me? employer appeal.Balance text with white space and use bullet points instead of long sentences to create a page thats easy to read quickly, and concentrate your most relevant information at the top, bottom, and left margin of the page. Those are the areas that receive the most attention, according to eye-tracking data compiled by TheLadders.It should go without saying, but clip art, fancy fonts, headshots, and other folderol have no place on your resume.Up to DateWhile its important to regularly update your resume with new work experience, accomplishments, and skills, its equally vital to remove outdated or irrelevant information.Diane Zambruski of Resume Edge advises job seekers to limit work history to the past 15 years. If youre in Information Technology, stop at 10 years as the field changes so rapidly, says Zambruski. Not only will a hiring manager n ot read information that goes back decades, that data will invite age discrimination.A good habit to get into, even if youre not actively looking for a new job, is to update your resume every time you have something noteworthy to report. Chairing a committee, winning an award, or hitting a sales or productivity milestone are all excellent additions to your resume- but if you dont get the details down promptly, youll likely have forgotten them in six months time.Error FreeIts no secret that we think grammar matters after all, were called Grammarly Its not just us, though typos and other writing mistakes send a negative message to prospective employers. You may say that youre an intelligent, detail-oriented worker, but your resume (and cover letter) need to back up your claim by being 100 percent error free.In addition, make sure that your writing comes across as professional. You wouldnt wear shorts and t-shirt to an interview, and you shouldnt use abbreviations or slang on your appl ication materials. This may seem like common sense, but according to this article from the New York Times, many employers find new hires to be lacking in basic writing skills. It seems that some young employees are now guilty of the technological equivalent of wearing flip-flops they are writing company mail as if they were texting cellphone messages with their thumbs, writes Phyllis Korkki.No one bats an eye if your text or tweet is grammatically incorrect (okay, we do, but were grammar geeks). However, the same laid-back approach to business writing is unprofessional at best. Put your best foot forward, and dont forget to proofreadMaster the art of closing deals and making placements. Take our Recruiter Certification Program today. Were SHRM certified. Learn at your own pace during this 12-week program. Access over 20 courses. Great for those who want to break into recruiting, or recruiters who want to further their career.