Question
What does one do to distinguish a resume from the rest?
Answer
Two things distinguish resumes from each other: what’s on the resume, and what’s not on the resume. When someone is looking at your resume, they are going to look at: the companies you worked at, how long you were there, how frequently you switched jobs, and where you went to school. Well-known companies, well-known (for your field) schools, and at least 2-3 years at each job are what stand out. If you don’t have the first two, it will make your resume less remarkable.
Of course, this all depends on whether or not your resume gets looked at at all, and this is where the “what’s not on your resume” comes in. Little or nothing in your resume will get someone to look at it. A recommendation from a colleague, a friend, or a trusted advisor, on the other hand, probably will. Likewise, a personal connection with the hiring manager -- you met them at an event, you’ve been corresponding with them about the industry, you asked for an informational interview, etc. -- will do the same. In the end, what really distinguishes one resume from the next is the association that the hiring manager has with it; if it came from someone they know, that’s good. If it came from “out of nowhere,” that’s not good.
Matthew T Grant, PhD
Minister of Enlightenment
A Q U E N T