Resume Tips For Millennials and Their Parents

Too Many Cooks

If you get an interview and the woman or man behind the desk asks you about one of the items on your resume, you should not answer, as more than a few applicants have, “Gee, I dunno. My Dad put that on there. What’s it say?”

 Moms and dads have a lot of experience and insight to offer their eager beavers. But, parents, please don’t do the work. It’s the opposite of helping. Provide guidance in the job search, suggestions, proofreading, editing the cover letter, but please don’t write it for them, and absolutely do not deliver it or hand it out.

Do not make any of the calls on your child’s behalf, or follow up, or demand to know why Buddy didn’t get the job. It’s right near the top of the list of pet peeves among hiring execs. It undermines your son’s or daughter’s self-confidence. It makes them look helpless and clueless.

Practice interview questions, do a mock phone call, but make sure your son or daughter makes the call herself, preferably in a quiet room with total privacy from eavesdropping. Make it clear that she is the one ultimately responsible, that you will not be keeping her schedule or organizing her materials.

There Are No Rules

A good resume is short, sweet and to the point. However, you will find many opinions as to the details, and some people have created amazing, clever resumes that helped them stand out from the crowd.

A friend who works for a large educational firm serving college students sees many people entering the job market for the first time.  She has some great advice and a caution for anyone who needs to create a resume.

“It’s true that there are standards and conventions for writing a good resume. However, it is also true that most hiring managers, career coaches, and HR (human resources) professionals tend to disagree on what those standards and conventions are." 

“Job seekers are advised to ask at least three people who know about resumes to review and edit their resume before submittal. You can bet that all three will have differing opinions on what makes a resume perfect. And you can also bet all three will change it, and change it some more, then change it again.”

At the end of the day, it’s your resume and if you get the interview, you’ll have to be comfortable enough with it to answer questions. Do what you feel is right, and learn from what happens.

Helpful Sites for Job Hunting, Resumes, Interviewing 

CareerOneStop.com: resume templates, cover letters, thanks-you notes, etc
JobSearch.About.com: how to dress for interviews, do's and don't's, job search tips, etc
Resume.com: free online resume builder
Monster.com or CareerBuilder.com: Job search
RecruitmentQueen.com: Beautiful Bucks County, PA Job Search
SummerOpenings.com: great opportunity for students to work for a reputable company, gain resume experience, fair pay, and a fun work environment. Locations nationwide throughout the U.S. and Canada.
 
For more tips on Resume Writing from Author John Wasserman, check out 7 Resume Blunders You Can't Afford to Make. 
Or, better yet, get the book No Shorts, Flip Flops, or Sunglasses: How to Get and Make the Most of Your First Real Job.