Resumes for Millennials

RESUMES FOR MILLENNIALS

By Judy Robbins
February 24, 2015

Millennials, roughly 15-29 years or born between 1980 and early 2000, are fast outpacing baby boomers and represent about 26% of the US population, versus 24% for boomers, 1946-1964. Growing up in less stable economic times, millennials have a life resplendent with choices, often delay marriage, home and luxury car purchases, to remain at home longer while focusing on education. They are probably “the most educated generation in American history.”

Establishing a career is logically the next step in their lives following education. Along with the change in demographics, over the past five years the face of the résumé, the gate opener into the corporate job world, has changed to reflect current trends

• Employers demand and easily get skilled workers who exceed job requirements.
• Applicants must deal with the proliferation of applicant tracking systems (ATS) companies use to ferret out “perfect” candidates.
• Expertise in résumé writing includes key word placement with creatively and strategically written content, essential for an applicant to be successful in the jobs arena.

As these younger adults seek a career position, or a shorter-term position to beef up a current bank account, a résumé unable to compete is unlikely to result in crucial job interviews.

• Only the top few contenders out of hundreds or even thousands of résumés ever make it into the hands of the HR person, and after that the pile on a hiring manager’s desk.
• Many résumés coming from this age group, sadly, will not have a chance or see the light of day.
• With work and knowledge, a résumé with obvious shortcomings can turn around dramatically to be a winner.

The fortunate job seekers are those who do realize they may need professional help with their résumé to make themselves marketable to employers.

• Blunders and red flags generally pepper through résumés and can immediately eliminate viable candidates.
• Best advice is not to waste months, or years, sending out blanket applications and wonder why you are getting nowhere. You deserve a job commensurate with your qualifications, not being forever in a state of under-employment.
• If your résumé represents you correctly, you will be the best candidate for the position you want. You have direct control over your résumé and employers are anxious to interview a promising candidate.

Line yourself up to have the advantage; after all, it is about your career and income. Your income depends on getting the right résumé to the right employer and helping them find you among all the other candidates.

• You seriously need to stand out. How can you do that with an inadequate resume?
• Being articulate and a “good writer” without expertise in resume writing will not be enough to place you in and keep you in the race, and make you the winner. “The winner,” note there is only one winner for every job posted.

In this site’s blog posts, find hints and information for you to use in constructing your own résumé.

• Don’t let time go by without researching why the résumé you wrote and are sending out, does not bring you interviews. Your résumé should receive attention. Even HR professionals often cannot write their own resumes, very few people can successfully write their own. Hooray, if you can.

Résumé formats of only a few years ago are already dated and, more than likely, inadequate.

• Today, an objective statement is not valued (it is about what you want) and the phrase at the bottom about references is considered redundant. That is just the beginning.

My Essential Resume offers a complimentary résumé critique to help you. Take advantage of the offer, other résumé writers will do this for you. It is not a ruse to get you to buy. It is genuine interest and satisfaction in a profession that actually helps people in one of life’s most vital endeavors. A majority of résumé writers fall into this category. Ask around and get referrals to find a good writer in which you have confidence, or ask questions here on the Contact page.

Searcey, Dionne. “Marketers Are Sizing Up the Millennials” NY Times, Business Day, Web. 21 Aug. 2014.  Marketers Are Sizing Up the Millennials – NYTimes.com – NYTimes.com

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