Avoid bells and whistles. All that fun stuff? Forget it. No
fancy fonts or pictures, no color-coded dots to show experience. And
that includes video résumés, unless you’re applying for the kind of
media job that requires you to be on air. The quality is likely to be
substandard, which isn’t helpful.
Focus on your audience. Try to view your résumé from an
employer's perspective. With few exceptions, what matters isn’t you
and what you’ve learned; it’s about what you can bring to the job
right now. "Find out what your future employer is looking for,”
Cenedella advises. “Then use your résumé to explain how what you can
do matches up with their needs."
New grads: play to your strengths—not your experience. “The
point is to convey your capabilities rather than experience and
acumen,” says Cenedella. Your résumé should endeavor to show the kind
of worker you’d be. “A summer job indicates you’re dependable. Elected
roles at clubs—even sororities and fraternities—indicate sociability
and likeability.”
Use numbers. “Count the number of dollar signs, percentage
signs, and numbers on your résumé,” Cenedella suggests. “Then, if you
want to stand out, triple it.” Numbers can demonstrate your impact
better than general statements like “managed invoicing.” Show,
quantifiably, how your work made a difference, whether through
increased earnings, decreased spending or lower head count.
Mid-career job seekers: remember that it’s 2018. There’s no
point including anything before 2000—“if it happened in the last
millennium, it doesn’t exist,” Cenedella says. If you graduated before
that, just list your school and degree. Don’t go over two pages, one
page if you’re starting out. A home address is also no longer needed;
an email and phone number are enough.
Follow up. Contact your prospective employer once a week for
three weeks in a courteous, employer-focused manner. “By email’s okay,
by phone is much better,” Cenedella says. “If you do that politely
three weeks in a row, you should probably get a callback.”
Once you land that perfect job, consider
reaching out to a financial advisor. She or he can help you
understand your choices regarding management of existing 401(k)
accounts, as well as how much to save and invest for retirement going
forward, and work with you to help you pursue all of your most
important financial goals.
First-time job seekers and
mid-life career switchers: visit the "Work" section of
ml.com to find more tips and insights on a range of topics,
from managing your employee benefits to starting a business and
paying for education to keep your professional skills sharp.