How the Perfect Resume is like a Pizza
Your resume, like a pizza, can be rich and interesting, making the reader want more, or it can be bland and ordinary, making the reader put it down and move on.
By following the guidelines below, you’ll be sure to create an enticing resume that will be irresistible to every employer and recruiter who gets to read it.
A good pizza is built from the bottom up, just like a resume. The resume does this by using reverse chronological order.
Crust – This is the foundation to your resume. Make sure you have a good layout – I recommend starting with a Background Summary, followed by Skills and Qualifications, Relevant Work History, and then Education. (For a visual, check out this sample resume.)
Sauce – Sauce is a basic fundamental of the pizza. The basics of your resume include the companies you have worked for, locations and dates of employment.
Toppings – This is where you really start to differentiate your pizza. This would be the details of your jobs – like a good pizza you do not want too much or too little. You want to give enough information that a reader has a good idea of what you have been doing, but not so much that it overwhelms them or is difficult to read. Only the freshest ingredients should be used to make a great pizza, and the same can be said for your resume, do not include old or outdated skills or information.
Seasonings – Add spices like basil and oregano to give your pizza a little zip. You can make your resume stand out by adding details of work performed in former positions that is directly applicable to the position you are applying for.
Anchovies –A pizza with anchovies just isn’t a pizza (unless you’re one of the rare few), likewise a resume with errors is not going to get you a job. Make sure you proofread your resume and have others proofread it for you. Spelling errors, grammatical errors and errors in employment dates, etc. are not the kind of impression you want to make with your resume.
Size – How long should my resume be? Unlike with pizza where bigger is better, a longer resume is not necessarily better. Stick to the relevant facts and do not include personal information like hobbies or interests. Also, use bullet points rather than paragraphs to make it easy to read.
A good resume is like a good pizza in that it leaves you wanting more. After the hiring manager reads your resume, he/she should want to learn more about you through an interview.
Bon appétit and happy resume writing!
About the Author:
This article is written by Lisa Reitz, former Recruiter at Automationtechies.
Catch her on LinkedIn.
