Creating the perfect resume for HR jobs
Creating CV’s and Resumes that stand out for every HR function role
Countless professionals tweak and re-tweak their CV's in the hope that they'll achieve the winning formula to get someone, anyone, to acknowledge their application for any given role.
We're repeatedly asked for advice on elements such as:
how many pages should the CV be?
how much detail should be listed for each historical job?
what order should the contents be in (current job first or last, education top or bottom, etc)?
should age and marital status be included?
should personal interests and career objectives be included?
why does it seem like there's a set of hidden rules for getting a job application noticed?
why is there no consistency of advice on what a resume should contain?
The reality is this:
Getting a job is not fully dependent on having the all time perfect CV. It is merely a tool to get a shot at an interview conversation. In a market where there are too many jobs and not enough qualified people, you can have a rubbish resume, and still get work. Some people actually go through their careers, successfully securing new jobs, without ever needing a Resume.
How much effort should you put into your resume?
CV’s and Resume documents are only one of many tools needed in the job search process.That said you still will want to make sure it works hard to "open doors" for you, rather than exposing you immediately to the many selection barriers and discriminatory practices that exist in hiring. Ageism is a common problem to be overcome. And so are ethnic assumptions. I have for instance an Anglo-Saxon connection who got no traction for her CV despite a very, very impressive career history and a "hot" market for jobs. When I advised her to revert to her maiden name, instead of using her husband's Asian surname, she magically started getting calls for discussions about her applications. You'll need to figure out what the risks are for you.
Local placement and career counselling and job seeking services are no doubt attuned to local company cultures and plan their support courses accordingly with comprehensive guidelines on the perfect CV format. But don't miss out on the option to work for the many international companies who have bases in your home country as well. As a norm they have very different hiring criteria and likely different views on resume formats as well. Additionally, when those very service agencies are supporting hundreds of people in the same job seeking boat, you'd better start thinking about how you'll really "get noticed" within the production line of same looking cookie cutter styled CV's!
“They received over 3,500 applications. They did not have the time/energy/resource/whatever, to read them all.”
Oh, and a reality check - in a market where recruiters/HR/hiring managers are swamped with applicants, they will not usually read every CV. They will sift through until they find the handful they're happy with (based on experience, age, qualifications/whatever takes their fancy at the time). And then they stop. One of my corporations had a vacancy recently with very specific detail to the requirements they needed from candidates. They received over 3,500 applications. They did not have the time/energy/resource/whatever, to read them all. So too bad if the 100% perfect person was applicant number 3500. The company made a successful hire regardless.
You should also be aware that many corporations now have "sophisticated" software that seeks out keywords in your resume, and depending on what criteria have been set, you could well be the perfect candidate who will remain undiscovered because those keywords are not contained on your document.
Essential tips when creating your HR Resume or CV
ensure you’ve noted all of your contact details correctly, inclusive of country/area codes on your phone numbers
check and recheck your noted employment dates - unexplained gaps or discrepancies could be held against you
give context to the companies you’ve worked for - headcount, revenues, industry sector (make it easy for a hiring manager to understand the scale and complexity of work environments you’ve tackled
consider noting reasons for your career moves (not essential, but it can assuage concerns of the reader if you’ve had repeated short stints and/or sudden “left turns”)
don’t just regurgitate your last job description of tasks to be done - definitely focus on the challenges you were presented with and overcome, and the value that you added AND include quantifiable results wherever possible
What should not be included in a Resume or CV?
avoid noting personal interests that don’t spark conversation - reading / cooking / writing / walking the dog arguably won’t stand out, and whilst we won’t all be able to claim climbing Everest or saving Amazon forests, try to use something that will raise curiosity in a conversation
depending on business culture in the market to which you’re applying, avoid noting your marital or family status, and avoid noting your age - this is a plus in some markets, and can work against you in others
likewise, don’t include your politics or faith or union alliances unless appropriate - indeed it is illegal to discriminate on any of these, but you’ll never know the views of the person initially reading your CV, and its better you get a chance to be invited to interview and impress, rather be automatically discounted
don’t include your social media profile links, unless they are squeaky clean and professional for content
Not getting the results you expected from your resume?
And even if you've finally nailed the "magic formula" for the perfect resume, the formula “rules” change constantly. Business requirements change even whilst a hire is happening. Hiring leaders refine their thinking whilst a hire is happening. New candidates get introduced even at the late stages of a hire. Sometimes the market favours the job seeker. Sometimes it doesn't. Different sectors and seniority levels and specialisms all have their own "rules" as well. For instance some employers prefer a 2 page CV, others expect 10. Some want a photo and some don't. Some companies are wanting a diversity hire so even if you've got all the skills and experience needed, you'll never be a serious contender. And none of these things are discussed openly.
Don’t underestimate the impact of the hidden hiring criteria either. As companies try to stack up their leadership roles with gender diversity, or racial diversity, your CV might be just the profile you think answers a job description, but it will likely go nowhere. Likewise, ageism despite anti-discrimination is absolutely alive and happening daily for HR leadership hires - the good news is that you can mitigate that risk by following some of the suggestions here
At the end of the day, it may simply be a case of you asking a lot of questions from relevant stakeholders, to know "the rules" for the types of jobs you're applying for (and realistically will be considered for). You may be one of those people who gets the very first job they apply for. You may have to apply for hundreds before you even get a shot at interview let alone job offer. There is no precise formula for success. Networking, focus, graft, resilience, persistence, targeting the "right" employer companies and not allowing the frustrations to impact on your head, health and heart - this all plays a part.
Sometimes, job searching, (unless you happen to have the right skills and experience in a market where there are too many jobs and not enough candidates) is too often simply a "numbers game".
About the Author
Leanne Morris is well known as a both an outspoken advocate and critic of the HR profession. With long standing networks across 94 countries in all specialist areas of the function, and a multi- continent work history, she is a sought after subject matter expert on international HR hiring trends and HR hiring best practice.