"Resumania": here's how to make sure your resume works for you - not against you

Black Enterprise, July, 1994 by Caroline V. Clarke

The cover letter and resume. For better or worse, they sum you up and lay you bare to employers who usually have no other insight into your person, your past or your potential.

Early in your career, you agonized over these documents. How would your education measure up against the competition? How could you make that camp counselor job sound like top-drawer managerial experience? Then, finally, you amass truly impressive credentials, experience, connections; and you think you're in the clear. Well, if you believe the ol' vitae and introductory letter are mere formalities, think again. Whether you're looking for your first job or what may be your last before retiring, the competition is tougher and the pool deeper than ever before, so make sure your resume and cover letter stand out--but not for the wrong reasons.

Despite the advent of software that can catch spelling errors, typos and bad line breaks, such gaffes still litter loads of job applications, says Robert Half, founder of Robert Half International and Accountemps, a Menlo Park, Calif.-based employment specialist in the financial, accounting and information technology fields. During a 40-year period, Half has compiled a list of his favorite bloopers, filing them under his own term, "Resumania."

For example, one job applicant listed his "ability to meet deadlines while maintaining composer" as a real strength. Half's response: "Would that be Mozart or Beethoven?" The candidate whose cover letter ends with, "Thank you for your consideration. Hope to hear from you shorty," had better hope the recipient is at least 5-foot-6. And the secretary who volunteers, "I am a rabid typist," may be quick, but accuracy clearly is not her strong suit. While these may seem funny, and even harmless, no doubt the errors had serious consequences for those who made them.

Even worse are the mistakes that only you can catch, and often don't. These include fractured grammar, misused words and awkward turns of phrase that can send your materials flying right into the trash. (If your letter or resume reveals you as African-American, this is doubly true.) The candidate who wrote, "Here are my qualifications for you to overlook," got overlooked, not looked over.

Going out of your way to seem ultra-professional, or ultra-anything, will almost always get you into trouble. The experts advise: Keep it simple, get to the point, don't be cute. The guy who noted, "Extensive background in public accounting. I can also stand on my head!" might just as well have applied for a job with Ringling Brothers. And don't haul out the dictionary in an effort to seem like an intellectual powerhouse. A woman who wrote, "I perform my job with effortless efficiency, effectiveness, efficacy and expertise," was shocked to find it difficult securing employment.

It's generally best not to be too greedy ("My compensation should be at least equal to my age,") or too timid ("If I am not one of the best, I will look for another opportunity.") Just state your case and qualifications with clarity and enthusiasm. If you're unsure of any spelling, reference or phrase, change it. And never forget to proofread--several times. A great resume doesn't mean you'll get the job, but even the smallest error will almost guarantee you won't.