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There’s a lot of information out there about what your resume should include, what it should never have, how you should format it, and everything else that many people seem to have different opinions on. For today’s interactive blog, read the statements one by one and decide whether the statement is true or false. Once you’ve made your decisions, scroll down to the bottom for the answer key and explanations.
- It’s okay to go over a page if you have a lot of experience (while you’re a student).
- Resumes are first impressions.
- You can’t make a good resume without having prior work experience.
- Tailoring your resume is only helpful if you do it right.
- Your resume should change frequently.
- A resume shouldn’t be colorful or creative, just concise and professional.
- Resumes, if well-developed, get people job offers.
- Every person’s resume should have the same categories.
- Your resume is more important now that the world has gone virtual.
- A resume should highlight a person’s unique strengths and impressive experiences and grab the reader’s attention.
Answers + Explanations:
- False; As a student, even if you have accomplished a lot (as many Falcons have!), going over a page is still a huge red flag. This isn’t because companies think your accomplishments aren’t impressive, it’s simply because having a two-page resume at this point of your life signals you not being able to prioritize and fit the most important things on just one. In several years and once you’re a seasoned professional with experience at several roles, companies, or industries, you can start to think about going above one page, but never above two.
- True; Not only is a resume is how an interviewer usually preps to interview you, which makes it your interviewer’s first impression of you, but your professional social media is also often connected with a resume (think Handshake profile with your resume right there)! Most importantly, however, is the fact that almost any job application for a wide variety of roles requires a resume, even if other documents aren’t needed, making it a very important first impression.
- False; A good resume is one that shows your history and how you’ve spent your time in a professional manner. It is a document that shows you in the best light, and it doesn’t necessarily require strict work experience. If you have dedicated a lot of your time to volunteering and giving back to communities, that’s a great experience showing commitment and passion and should absolutely find itself in your resume. Additionally, a lot of people say they don’t have “work experience,” but they’ve worked a part-time job or even did odd jobs around their neighborhoods. You can and should have those endeavors on your resume until you get more, newer experience. We all started somewhere and having pride in what you’ve accomplished is the first step of a good resume.
- True; Tailoring your resume is a great way to better distinguish yourself and show that you are the right fit for some of the more niche positions within any industry. However, learning to properly tailor your resume can have a bit of a learning curve, and you really need to know the best effective way to tailor a resume for it to truly help you, so check this article out for a how-to.
- True; Your resume should be updated anytime you achieve something, which, when you’re a student at Bentley, is frequent due to the amount of relevant coursework and number of group projects that students complete. Aim for updating your resume 1-2 times a semester as a rule of thumb.
- False; This completely depends on your major and your personal brand. If you’re a marketing major or simply an individual who simply loves coming off as creative, it’s absolutely okay to have a colorful resume. Just make sure it’s readable and clean! If you’re somebody who has a major that favors resumes that are to-the-point or you don’t mind keeping it traditional, stick to black and white!
- False; A resume won’t get you the offer, but it’s the first step to getting that interview. That’s why it’s crucial to have good application materials but also consistently work on your interviewing and networking skills, as well as developing that thorough knowledge of your coursework.
- False; Your resume is your story, so it should never totally resemble somebody else’s. A resume is all about making sure you include what is important to you (and therefore will be important to somebody that employs you) and leaving out any category that doesn’t make sense for you and your life. For a guide to categories, check this out.
- True; Due to the pandemic, many industries and therefore a good portion of the job market has suffered, making it even more competitive out there. Not only that, but it’s harder to make a good first impression without a physical handshake, making your resume so, so crucial.
- True; Your resume should be a professional extension of yourself that you can spend forever talking about. You should know it inside and out and it should intrigue anybody who looks at it so that he or she can quickly recognize what you’re achieved in your lifetime thus far.
