We know that a resume should be one page, easy to read and free of typos.
We have heard it for years.
But those 4 corners are so limiting!
How many of us have had to delete details or perhaps even an entire section of our resume to fit more job-specific details and sections?
For example, I no longer keep the incredibly long list of student organizations and leadership positions that I held in college on my resume. Some of those organizations and positions really shaped who I am and the career path that I have forged. But, I have more applicable and more recent experience that needs to be on my resume now.
However, I haven’t deleted this list completely from my computer.
I keep my own list of accomplishments, memberships, publications, awards, employers and job descriptions in a separate document.
Do I keep it just to toot my own horn?
No.
Well, at least, that’s not the only reason I keep a list.
Keeping a comprehensive list is helpful when you are applying to a wide variety of positions. You may really have more experience in a discipline than you give yourself credit for when applying for a job. You may just have forgotten where it began.
Keeping a list is helpful when you are preparing for an interview. Interview styles and questions vary widely from employer to employer. It’s best to be prepared to draw on a wide array of your skills and experience.
Some interviewers will even ask you to, “Tell me something about you that isn’t on your resume.”
Keeping a list is also helpful to reflect on when you are networking and someone asks you, “How did you become interested in that?” Perhaps, it was taking that marketing class freshmen year of college that first exposed you to the cross-over between business and graphic design. Think about the experiences that helped shape who you are and what you want.
Finally, searching for a job can be emotionally draining. After sending out hundreds of resumes and getting no response, you may feel downtrodden. Now is the time to take out your list. Take a look at all you have accomplished. I’m sure there were a few things on that list that may have seemed like they were out of reach at the time. But you did it.
Just like you will find a job.
Don’t give up and when things get tough, make sure to toot your own horn.
