2010 résumé: What’s in, what’s out

Make your résumé more cutting-edge with these tips for 2010:

In: A professional summary at the top of your résumé.

Out: An objective statement at the top of your résumé.

“Ditch it immediately,” advises Jack Williams, vice president of national sales and recruiting for Staffing Technologies. Employers don’t care what a potential hire wants to do. “They care whether they can do what the employer needs them to do,” he says.

In: Résumés that are easy on the eyes.

Out: Résumés with large chunks of unbroken text.

“I don’t have time to read through each résumé and search for the important points. They need to jump out at me,” says Mike Earley, vice president of resource management at MyWire.

Tip: Organize résumés with bullet points, and allow white space to create visual interest.

In: A customized résumé.

Out: Same cookie-cutter résumé for every job.

In: A two- or three-page résumé when you really need the space.

Out: A one-page résumé when you need two or three pages.

“One-page résumés are a myth,” says Williams. “No talented person with more than five years’ experience can fairly summarize their experience on one page.”

In: Selling yourself.

Out: Just listing job titles and responsibilities.

The best way to do this, Earley says, is through quantifying your accomplishments. “When describing what you did on a job, be sure to include the results. Your accomplishments are key,” he says.

Example: Don’t just say you “organized a system to track outside vendors.” Sell the results: “Reduced operating costs by one-third.”

In: Including links to web sites for all companies on your résumé.

Out: Assuming hirers know your old company.

“Few do this, but it is always well-received,” says Williams. “Hiring managers have an interest in knowing what a company does and what your previous position there had to do with that.”

In: Including your LinkedIn address in your résumé’s header.

Out: Not being up-to-date with social networking.

Tip: Make sure it’s a “vanity” URL if it’s LinkedIn (e.g., www.linkedin.com/in/janebrown).

— Adapted from “The New Résumé Rules: What’s In and What’s Out,” by Maria Hanson Yahoo HotJobs.