Résumé Help: Too Much Personality?
Thanks in advance for your support!
Today I received a request from a blog reader. She asked if I had any suggestions for her résumé. Overall, she had a nice presentation. However, one section labeled, “Skills & Personality” is very unorthodox, to say the least. It lists various personality and character traits.
Why not list personality traits on a résumé? The answer is simple. We need to focus on the info that the hiring employer or recruiter wants. They are interested in a strong candidate who can excel in the job and adapt to the company’s culture. With that in mind, the skills section should include technical and other special skills. Meditation and ukulele playing are interesting, but unless they are job-related, we need to eliminate them. Yes, you will be remembered, but not for the right reasons.
For this section, I recommended a name change to “Technical Expertise.” Show the technical skills that are relevant to the target job. Characteristics that are not job-related should be eliminated entirely. However, some of professional characteristics that she listed, such team leadership should be integrated into the new profile.
The bottom line is to kick off the résumé with a compelling profile that draws the reader to read more. Skills are important to show near the end of the résumé, but should only include relevant special skills. If you would like to read more on these topics, please check out these blog entries:
Résumé Help: Creating a Compelling Profile
Résumé Help: Order on the Résumé!
Should Computer Skills Be Included If You Are Seeking a Non-technical Job?
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.