4 Resume Rules That No Longer Apply

Job Search

Feb 28

Episode 391 | Author: Emilie Aries

I’ve coached many job search clients in my career - from recent grads to c-suite executives on writing their resume for the job search - and there’s one thing professionals from all walks of life have in common: so many of them are following “rules” for resume-writing that no longer apply.

I want to break down the resume-writing advice that will keep you and your quest for your next job in the dark ages - and what to do instead:

“Your resume should fit on one page.”

This is no longer applicable - even for recent grads.

A recent study from zety.com analyzed over 133,000 resumes and found that recruiters are twice as likely to pick a two-page resume as opposed to a one-page resume, even for entry-level positions. They're 2.9 times more likely to prefer a 2-page resume for managerial roles and 1.4 times more likely for entry-level jobs.

I recommend not trying to fit all of your experience onto one page, especially at the cost of a legible font size and ample white space on the page, both of which are critically important for reading comprehension.

2. “Write left to right, margin to margin, just like a normal document.”

My next resume-writing hack that I suggest you chuck in the bin, is writing from margin to margin.

When’s the last time you received a postcard or pamphlet in the mail that had text written from left to right all the way across the document? Odds are, you haven’t, and there's a good reason for that.

The human eye tires when reading text from one side of the page to the other. There’s a simple solution that you can use to make your resume easier to read: a 2-column resume format.

This structure will immediately make your resume easier to skim by creating cognitive chunks out of all your resume information, which are easier for humans to comprehend. After all, your resume is a piece of marketing collateral designed to showcase your skills, so design it as such.

Take a look at this HIRED client’s before and after versions of their resume, once a 2-column format was applied:

BEFORE

AFTER

It’s much easier to make sense of, right?

Just don’t forget to ensure that your 2-column resume format is ATS friendly, that way your resume is read by the AI systems that the modern job search process involves. I explain more on how to check for ATS friendly resume templates in a previous blog post.

3. “Stick to chronological order.”

Rule number three to chuck in the bin is the idea that you have to stick to chronological order. Chronological order has so many resume-writers in a chokehold, which is a real shame - especially for job-seekers who are looking to transition industries.

Lead with what’s most relevant to the jobs you’re applying to - not what’s most recent. Free yourself to format your resume into multiple experience sections - not just one general “work experience” rundown.

For instance, if you started your career off in healthcare, then spent time in government, and are looking to return to the healthcare industry, lead with a section called “Healthcare Experience” before listing your most recent experiences below it in a section called “Government Experience.”

Know that resumes are skimmed - so whatever is included at the top - of each page and each section within each page - is much more likely to be read. In other words: don’t bury the lead! Include your most relevant experiences right at the top.

4. “List your mailing address.”

My final rule of resume writing that should be retired is this idea that you have to list your entire mailing address. I often hear from my HIRED clients:

“What should I put on my resume if I’m temporarily living with a family member?”

“What if I’m living in New York but looking for a job in Los Angeles and I’m ready to relocate?”

“What should I put down if I’m uncomfortable sharing my home address?”

There is no reason to list your full home address on your mailing address. Under a “Contact” section on your resume, feel free to include your email, phone number (if you’re comfortable doing so), your LinkedIn profile URL, and your City, State abbreviations. That’s it! Nothing more is necessary or expected these days, as listing your entire mailing address can feel like a personal safety risk for many.

However, if you’re in between places or in the process of relocating, there’s nothing disingenuous about listing the City and State where you plan to reside when you land your next job, too. Just don’t lie if you’re asked outright about it during an interview.

Resume-writing rules will change as the job market changes but it’s important to keep up with the times. The recent layoffs caused a lot of uncertainty in the market and many factors are out of our control, but if there are variables you can control, such as keeping your resume up-to-date, why not do it?

If you’re in need of more job search resources check out our free job search resources, where you can find everything you need to land your dream job!