The Employment Report

We live in a McDonald’s world. “Faster, quicker, speedier” will soon be tattooed on the foreheads of all newborns right next to the Internet port that will be installed the second they are born. “Cut to the chase” will become the new national motto.

So don’t be surprised when I tell you that not everyone you send a résumé to reads your cover letter. Most employers or recruiters just don’t have the time to read them. They have to pass through them like they’re serving burgers out a window. That’s not to say you shouldn’t include it or make it magical. It’s just that you really want to make your résumé shine like a new star.

Rick Kleinschmidt, president of recruiting firm Right Fit Staffing believes that, “the résumé is the single most important piece of your application package. A good cover letter will get you through the door, but your résumé is what gets you the interview.”

The trick is to target your résumé the same way you would your cover letter. There are many formats to shape your education and experience into, pick the one that the business it’s intended for will appreciate the most.

For instance, if you’re applying to be an elementary school teacher, design your résumé like you would an assignment for the kids. Make it fun with clip-art and pictures. This is an opportunity to be creative.

On the other hand, if you want to join an accounting firm be factual and to the point. Follow the typical rules of plenty of white space, not too dense and only one page. However, in this situation you may want to lead with your education, especially if you have graduate degrees, rather than your job history. But in an industry like retail where experience is paramount, lead off with your work history (mentioning education at all may hamstring you in some cases).

Rick once saw a résumé for a graphic designer who patched the whole thing together like a ransom note with magazine and newspaper clippings. Without looking at the cover letter or reading the employment history, you knew that this person was thinking in terms of design.

Rick warns to not get too carried away, though.

“There’s a reason the classic format is classic—it works,” he added.

Just be prepared to pick the right format, and the right amount of creativity, for the job you are applying for.