Résumé Help: Is That “Other Information” Overkill?

Recently I saw a woman walk into a store with excessive accessories.  Maybe it was the red rose clip in her hair, or it could have been the 1980s-style bangles and matching chandelier earrings.  It was a sight to behold.  If she had stopped with the earrings, she would have looked terrific.  Under the barrage of bling was a really cute dress.  The same is true on a résumé.  You get to a point where you have the perfect amount of relevant information.  Piling on more accomplishments to suit any possible need is overkill and can be distracting.

In today’s case, we are only showing a portion to conceal the identity of the candidate.  He contacted us for a critique and this section of his résumé screamed out for help, just like the woman on accessory overload.   In Jeremy’s case, he had a comprehensive 15-year career as a financial advisor.  He has accomplishments to showcase from his career.  However, as we get to the end of the résumé, we see this extra section, “Other Experience and Accomplishments.”   Here are his extra bangles and a big red rose clip!  

One big “no-no” is to show that he enabled his parents to have a nice retirement, including a Mercedes.  What a great son! However, it is out of place on the résumé.  Instead, he should focus on results he delivered for his clients during his tenure as a financial advisor.  If he does show this accomplishment, it needs to be more concrete and he should not mention that those are his parents.  He lists some basic functional skills that come across as, “Oh yes, I also can do this and that.”  Lastly, he shows a position not mentioned on his résumé.  This may cause the reader to wonder just how far back his career history goes and if the candidate is obscuring the dates of the position for a reason.

Jeremy would be better off strengthening the résumé by omitting those additional bits of information.  If you are struggling with what to include on your résumé, contact us.  Many times you need an objective professional to help you make the right impression. 

To see additional résumé suggestions that will help you as you create your own résumé, please click on the image below.

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If you would like a résumé critique, please contact Debra Wheatman at debra@careersdonewrite.com or visit us at http://careersdonewrite.com. The Résumé Help blog appears weekly on Mondays.

Should I interview when I am sick?

Dear Deb,

I have a terrible cough…the kind that once it starts, it does not stop for a couple of minutes.  I also am so congested that I feel and look disgusting.  I have an interview for the perfect job tomorrow afternoon.  Should I cancel?  Will they think I am a wimp?  I really want the job, but I know I will make a horrible impression and may get the interviewer sick. I need to call them ASAP, if I am cancelling.

Thanks, Deb!

Brendan  L.

Dear Brendan:

By all means, call the person with whom you have the interview to postpone the appointment.  Tell him or her that you have a bad virus and you are concerned that you will bring your germs to their office; you want to interview when you are at your best.  Make arrangements for the interview, giving yourself enough time to recover.  You don’t want to cancel twice.  Next, get yourself to your doctor so you can get this cough and cold under control. 

Best wishes for a speedy recovery!

Deb

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If you have a question for Deb, please email debra@careersdonewrite.com. The Ask Deb column appears every Friday on our blog at the Careers Done Write website.  

4.4 Ways to Explain You Were Let Go From Last Job

Careers Done Write is pleased to have Elaine Hirsch as our guest poster. 

Elaine Hirsch is kind of a jack-of-all-interests, from education to technology to public policy, so she is currently working as a writer for various education-related sites and writing about all these things instead. 

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Losing a job, like any major life event, can involve a lot of anxiety. Not only does it mean a shift in one's day-to-day life that is probably unexpected, it can be a hit to the ego as well. To make matters worse, the stress of leaving behind a workplace can be dejecting while preparing for fresh interviews. Among these concerns is whether your resume fully represents your skill set, whether employers value potential employees who’ve attended online college programs, or just questions about your previous job. If you've ever sat in front of a desk while HR reps challenge you rigorous behavioral and technical questions, you know exactly how difficult it can be to explain why you were let go by your previous employer.

Here are some tips to jump over the hurdle of losing your job and to land a better job than the one you’ve been recently fired from:

Negative Connotations of Being Fired

First, the term “fired” is loaded with many negative connotations. Being fired from a position implies that you failed your responsibilities at your last job, which is a terrible way to start a job interview. Although you shouldn’t lie about your previous mishaps, it’s important to be able to learn from your mistakes and move on. Acknowledge what went wrong and suggest ways that you could have better handled the situation. Not only does doing so give more insight to your prospective employer of why you were let go, but it is a good way of displaying honesty and integrity, as well as and ability to learn from past situations.

Let Go of Your Ego

Let's say you weren't let go by your former employer, but you quit. Your ego might be in better shape; but either way, you need to get a new job, and you'll be asked why you're no longer working for your previous employer. The key here is to remain collected and non-egotistical. Perhaps your previous position wasn’t challenging enough (it happens all the time). Or, maybe you didn’t think that you were going to experience growth in the role (it was a dead end). This is a good opportunity to let your motivated personality shine through.

Accentuate the Differences Between Employers

Every company has a set of cultures or goals to which they adhere. Do your research before the interview and understand what each prospective employer looks for in its employees. Highlight these values. How does your personality align with the corporate goals of the company? This will give you a competitive edge over your less prepared competition.

Be Pragmatic

It’s important to keep in mind that regardless of how you left your old job, the time you spent there taught you many valuable skills that you will transfer to a new position. Be sure to illuminate your strengths and acknowledge your failures, but remain sincere during the entire hiring process. By doing so, you’ll have the best shot of landing the new position despite your previous employment history.

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