Excelle

I've never heard of an employer looking for a resume in PDF formatting. I've always posted my resume in a Microsoft Word document or copying and pasting into an email as requested. This is the first I've heard of that. I guess until I'm instructed to post my resume in PDF I will continue to post through Word.

Generally great tips although I'd be wary of sending your resume in PDF. You'd be surprised how many hiring managers have no idea what that is (although I suppose you could argue that you likely wouldn't want to work there if that's the case).

I have no gaps in my work history except for working for 2 different companies. I have been doing the same job with the exception this last position I transfered into a new position still working in a Quality Control function. How do I do my resume in Chronological order?
My last position was Document Control Specialist/Quality Control Inspector. Prior I worked 15 yrs as a Quality Control Inspector. How many bullet points do I put for each position. Do I fit in Education. My resume has 2 pages but can be narrowed down to one. I have a lot of experieince in Quality Control/Systems. Do I need to put in the number of years worked or how should I word it so I have the number of years. I too don't agree with using an objective but the Work Force Center says I need too. Most places will not require a cover letter if I walk off the street. I also have skills in marketing, adminstrative, health industries. So, would I do a functional resume for those skills. I guess it's hard to know how to set up these types of resumes. Jerrie Rimas

I'm a bit confused about the PDF one. Many companies I've looked at say they want resumes in doc format, should I still send PDFs or go by the listing?

very good suggestion, about the red lines

Having plenty of experience writing and reading resumes, I can state with complete certaintly that the main point of a resume is to make a good impression in order to be considered for an interview. While it appears that many people here are taking issue with the specifics and how they seem unfairly biased against the job seeker, that is the reality of today's job market.

Your resume must be relevant, concise, error-free, well-formatted and professional quality. How that is accomplished will vary depending on various factors. The bottom line is, companies continue to hire, but are being far more selective. If you chose to stubbornly believe that your mediocre resume is adequate to get their attention, you best prepare for a long wait...

Now a few comments on the article contents:

1) accents are not necessary on the word "resume" (unless you are French)
2) follow the directions of the employer as to which format to use: MS WORD is the most common. Not everyone uses Adobe, therefore, PDF may not be a good choice.
3) chronological order is preferrable, however, you don't need to include irrelevant details such as jobs outside of your targeted career path - you do need to address any gaps though

I would be glad to provide career management or job search support to anyone interested in further details. Please feel free to research my credentials on LinkedIn, Google, etc.

http://www.talenttalks.com
http://talenttalks.wordpress.com/

Wow, my résumé is passé! Who actually types résumé, anyway? I don't know how to find foreign characters and accents on my keyboard! I know how to copy and paste, though, in this instance. In my 13 years of tech experience no recruiter has EVER asked me for a résumé in PDF format! Technical recruiters need the résumé to be in editable format because when they submit a candidate they use their letterhead and standard format; thus, they need it in Word format. Are you serious, we aren't supposed to put our experience in chronological order? If I were reading a résumé that skipped around, I would think that the person was trying to hide a gap or a firing and would chuck the résumé in the circular file. I purchased the books Résumés that Knock 'Em Dead and Cover Letters that Knock 'Em Dead in 1996 (gasp!) and much of the advice still holds true. I use my objective to convey what I have to offer THEM, not just what I want. All they're interested in is what I can bring to the table, and I use this valuable space to convey that, generally speaking. My cover letter contains specifics of how I could help that particular company and this is where I explain a couple of gaps in my timeline and also mention that I'm willing to travel, relocate or telecommute. My résumé is over a page long and has been for years; I make no mention of references until they ask. Overall, I'd rate this article about a 2 out of 5 stars since some of the information is relevant. I wonder what experience the author has that resulted in this piece! I also wouldn't take the article too seriously since it has a mistake in the title (small words like "is" are not to be capitalized in titles). This article makes no mention of many different styles of resume, but there are Word templates for so many kinds - those that minimize education, those that focus on skill sets, those that focus on employment history, those that minimize experience (if you have none) and so on.

This is a good article but it does not approach people with little working experience like myself :/