Resume

Striking The Perfect Balance On Your Resume

Striking The Perfect Balance On Your Resume

Have you ever heard someone suggest the only way to get a job today is to lie on your resume? I’ve heard several people say this over the last few years. Related:How To Address An Incomplete Degree On Your Resume That said, consider this: I’ve also heard just about every recruiter and hiring manager I know complain they are tired of reading resumes that dramatically overstate a candidate’s qualifications for a job.


Little White Lies: Who’s Going To Know?

Some job seekers think the goal of a resume is to get them a job. In reality, a resume is a tool designed to get you an interview. It is then up to you to actually “close the deal” and get the job during the interview. By listing experience on your resume you’re inviting an interviewer to ask you more about it. When you fabricate experiences you don’t really have, it becomes readily apparent when an interviewer presses you for more details.

Overstating Your Case

Sometimes, job seekers don’t intend to be misleading on their resumes, but they don’t know how to describe their previous experience both truthfully and impressively. This is where hiring a professional resume writer can be especially helpful. It’s important to hire a writer who will take the time to conduct a personal interview with you; professional resume writers are trained to make your experiences sound as impressive as possible. You don’t want the person who must evaluate you based only upon what he has to read to inadvertently overestimate your abilities or qualifications.

Underselling Your Product

In contrast, job seekers who do a personal consultation with a professional resume writer often find that they have unintentionally been underselling their professional qualifications. Having someone else on the outside looking in will create a whole new vantage point and can frame your experience in a way you never previously considered. We often hear clients say, “I’ve done all of that, I can’t believe I never thought of that before.” No matter how much experience you have, there’s a way to successfully—and truthfully—market your accomplishments on your resume. It’s just being able to find the balance between impressive, uniquely qualified and not overstating accomplishments you can’t back up in an interview later. This post was originally published on an earlier date.

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About the author

Jessica Holbrook Hernandez, CEO of Great Resumes Fast is an expert resume writer, career and personal branding strategist, author, and presenter. Want to work with the best resume writer? If you would like us to personally work on your resume, cover letter, or LinkedIn profile—and dramatically improve their response rates—then check out our professional and executive resume writing services at GreatResumesFast.com or contact us for more information if you have any questions. Disclosure: This post is sponsored by a CAREEREALISM-approved expert. You can learn more about expert posts here.Photo Credit: Shutterstock
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