Re: Resume Length (2 pages ok?)

[Beth Agnew <bagnew -at- INSYSTEMS -dot- COM>]

Buck Buchanan had some great advice about jobhunting. (I have made it a point myself, Buck, to be sure that I never go to an interview in a beard.)

When he said, "The point of the resume is to get the interview" he was right. The important information has to be on the first page, but what follows can be long or short, as long as it's pertinent and going to help ensure that interview.

Make sure what's on the first page of the resume turns on as many "yes" lights as possible in the mind of the reviewer.

When applying for any writing-related job, the writing has to be stellar. If you cannot communicate your suitability for the interview in one page, why would they hire you (the generic you) to write their manuals (or whatever)?

As an aside, when I applied for a job with a sports organization, I didn't send a resume, I sent a trading card (but it was 8.5 x 11 inches so it would fit with all the other resumes). Got the interview AND the job.

Beth Agnew
Senior Technical Writer, InSystems Technologies Inc.
bagnew -at- insystems -dot- com            Tel: (905) 513-1400 ext. 280
                        Fax: (905) 513-1419
        Visit us at: http://www.insystems.com

 TECHWR-L (Technical Communication) List Information: To send a message
to 2500+ readers, e-mail to TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU -dot-  Send commands
   to LISTSERV -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU (e.g. HELP or SIGNOFF TECHWR-L).
  Search the archives at http://www.documentation.com/  or search and
browse the archives at http://listserv.okstate.edu/archives/techwr-l.html