Thursday, June 26, 1997

How to make your resume reader-friendly

By CAROL KLEIMAN / Chicago Tribune

Here's an inside glimpse at the world of human resources when it comes to resume reading.

It comes from a corporate human resource executive, deeply committed to her work, who says she often sifts "through hundreds of resumes at my kitchen table ... Recruiting is only one of the hats I wear in the lean and mean '90s. I lug the resumes home and screen them, when I'd rather be eating, sleeping or relaxing - but when an opening occurs, it's a hot issue."

Here are some of her nitty-gritty suggestions on how to make your resume "friendlier" to the recruiter:

1. Proofread your resume before you send it. Your first impression is a poor one if it's obvious you don't take time to read your own correspondence.

2. Put your name at the top of your cover letter. It makes it easier for the recruiter to sort resumes alphabetically.

3. Staple your pages together. Otherwise, they'll get lost.

4. Don't put your resume in a fancy cover, oversized envelope or anything else to make it "stand out." It'll be pitched.

5. Keep track of ads you answer. You're sending an employer the wrong message when you apply for the same job twice.

6. Include what type of software you know.

7. Don't just give the name of current or previous employers. Explain what they do.

8. Keep all personal, irrelevant information off your resume.

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A reader says he notices "a recent trend of employers is to request a salary history or requirements when responding to ads. This is a no-win situation for the respondent. Either you low-ball yourself by stating too little money or take yourself out of the running by going too high. What is the best way to address this tactic?"

Answer: You're absolutely right. It is a tactic, I believe. One way to handle it is to give a very wide salary range (an informed one, based on research on what the job should pay), such as "in the $30,000s." Or, you can write that you will be glad to discuss salary requirements when the job offer is made. And add you're "very flexible" about salary - even if you're not.

In the interest of fairness - though asking salary is extremely unfair of employers in my eyes - I also am sharing the comments about salaries from the human resource executive quoted above:

"Do include salary requirements or history if requested. We're both wasting our time if I'm filling a $20,000 job and you're at a $40,000 level. If you don't tell us, we'll assume what you're making, and you could eliminate yourself from consideration."

OK. That's enough fairness for me. Let me repeat my strong belief that salaries should not be mentioned until the job offer is made.