Rate my résumé

1. What is your first impression of the résumé? Do you want to continue reading it?

Bob Eubank of Northeast Human Resources Association (NEHRA): A bold presentation. Probably a strong person but résumés like this make me wonder about ego size. Second quick impression is that financial service experience might somehow be related to our recent financial crises and recession. Has he been caught up in this? Maybe I'll read more to find out.

Do I want to continue reading? Yes, but with a qualifier. I'll read more only if I'm looking for someone with financial services experience. That may be just what the candidate wants, and if so, that's OK.

Sean Kenney of Essex Partners: The overall impact of the font choice and layout gave me the impression of a person with somewhat less experience than is actually reflected in the résumé. Following a closer reading of the résumé, I might suggest revising the overall look to give a more refined, senior-level impression.

If I were looking for a "sales performance" role, maybe, but I suspect this person has a broader set of targets in mind which is not reflected anywhere on the résumé. This person would benefit from adding a career profile or summary upfront, and include areas of expertise or highlights of accomplishments achieved throughout the career.

Radhika Rana of the Professional Staffing Group (PSG): At first glance the candidate's résumé looks very direct, a straight to the point résumé.

The first impression of the candidate's résumé does make me want to continue looking at it because it's short and concise.

2. In general, how important is the first impression?

Eubank: The first impression is critical. Generally people are looking at a number of résumés and the résumé has about 30 seconds of face time to make an impression.

Kenney: First impressions with a résumé are very important because you have only a few moments to grab a reader's attention. The candidate's objective is to secure that interview and the résumé needs to convey to the reader why this résumé should be selected for further review.

Rana: The first impression of any résumé is very important because it represents the individual and many times the way they represent themselves. As a recruiter, the résumé is what makes our decision to want to bring the person in for an interview. It is very important to have a clean résumé.

3. What do you think about the design of the résumé?

Eubank: I think in general that the design is ok, although not my personal preference. I think there is too much white space in the left column. Page 1 has only the words "professional experience." I also think that the contact information is hard to find (just a footer) although this may have been left off because of this exercise. If this was done deliberately, it does have the effect of taking you directly to the first job.

Kenney:

• Font style/size - Personally, I think the candidate's name is too large, and the company and job titles run a little wide because of the size/style chosen. But generally, the font size seems fine.
• Margins - I like the white space in the résumé, although I would suggest sizing so that things like the dates don't run into the right margin.
• Bullet points v. long paragraphs - There are succinct bullets used throughout the résumé which is good and easy to read.
• Colors - none used, none recommended.
• Number of pages - A two page résumé looks about right for the experience covered.
• Overall presentation - I would say the overall presentation is fairly good.
• Anything else about the design worth noting? This person does not provide an e-mail which is a standard means of contacting candidates.

Rana: The design of the résumé is great. The font style/size is perfect, and the bullet points make the résumé easy to read.

4. In general, how important is a résumé's design?

Eubank: I have always believed that résumé design is a very subjective subject. You can ask several people and get totally different responses. The important thing is not to do something that is likely to turn off the majority of people who see it, although some folks who have taken big risks with résumés have managed to capture the attention of those receiving them. The bottom line is that the writer of the résumé must be satisfied with the presentation.

Kenney: A candidate needs to communicate their message quickly to the reader in order to ensure that a more thorough examination follows, rather than a quick discard into the "no" pile. The use of bold, indentation, and white space should all be designed to direct the reader to the things that the candidate wants to call out.

In the case of this résumé, the candidate's name, the company names, locations, and dates are all bolded. Are all of these important for the reader to see immediately? When everything is bolded on a line, what gets read?

Rana: In general, the design of a résumé is helpful. The more organized the résumé is, the easier it is to read.

5. After reading the résumé, what is your impression of the candidate?

Kenney: This candidate has an interesting background with seemingly progressive responsibilities, though in different areas. My question, however, is what does the candidate want to do next? What job or role is this résumé positioned for? Without any other information, I would have to assume that this candidate wants another role similar to his last one.

I would suggest a summary paragraph at the top of the résumé with three to four sentences. First, specify the functional role and industry you are targeting, but state this as descriptors about the candidate (e.g. "Senior Sales and Product Management Professional with extensive experience in the financial services and high technology industries"). Next provide something that explains the unique blend of background as a value to the company (e.g. "Strong foundation in equities and alternative investments combined with cross-selling expertise and channel management skills"). The next sentence might include some description of soft skills such as communication, presentation, leadership, or management capabilities. The aim is to highlight your background in three to four succinct sentences that addresses the needs of the hiring manager.

Rana: After reading the résumé my first impression of the candidate is that he has a range of experience from product management to being a vice president.