by Kevin Donlin - Guaranteed Resumes - Click for Info

Here's the second part of my interview with Ms. X, an HR Manager from a Twin Cities marketing firm.

She's kindly agreed to share her thoughts on r'sum' formats, cover letters, job hopping and the eternal question of ageism. Her answers may surprise you!

Without further ado, here is Ms. X ...

On r'sum' formats ...
"Your r'sum' should suit the job you're applying for, both in content and format. For example, if I'm looking at an accounting r'sum', I would expect to see a more conservative layout than one from a sales rep or art director.

"Consider your industry and the years you've been working. This will help you decide what kind of format and writing style to use."

On cover letters ...
"Some of my hiring colleagues place a lot of emphasis on the cover letter and some don't. For me, the cover letter can knock out a marginal candidate if it's poorly written or sloppy, so it must look professional.

"Also, a well-written cover letter is critical when I'm looking at a candidate who's making a career transition. The cover letter should make it clear that the writer has right skills and experience for the job, even if that person is coming from another industry.

On job hopping ...
"When I see frequent job changes on a r'sum', it's a negative for me, unless it shows rapid advancement to new positions of responsibility. I look carefully at job titles and the length of time in each position, to try and see a pattern. If that pattern is positive, I'll call the candidate for an interview.

"Most often, a lot of jobs in a short time shows a lack of judgement. It does me no good if a new employee leaves after a year, because then I have to start the hiring process over again."

On the question of age ...
"Youth can actually be a detriment in our field (marketing communications). What I care about is adaptability. If a candidate has been with the same company a long time, I might question whether or not they can adapt to a new corporate culture. But personally, I don't know any HR people who care about whether a candidate is too old for the job."

I hope these insights, from an HR pro who reads hundreds of r'sum's a month, will help you manage your career and job search more effectively.

Best of luck to you!

Kevin Donlin is President of Guaranteed Resumes.

Since 1996, he and his team have provided resumes, cover letters and online job-search assistance to clients in all 50 states and 23 countries. Kevin has been interviewed by USA Today, CBS MarketWatch, The Wall Street Journal's National Business Employment Weekly, CBS Radio, and many others.

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