A great resume is a key first step toward that next critical step – getting an interview. Just as your choice of wardrobe is important to face-to-face interview success, the contact section at the top is your resume’s chance to make a great first impression.
While details like your name, address and email may seem straightforward, they are anything but. The decisions you make around these small details plays a bigger role than you think in making a solid first impression.
NAME
In many professions, licensures or certifications (or lack thereof!) can give you an added advantage. In some cases, they may be a deal breaker. For this reason, it is beneficial to include credentialing information directly after the name in the form of acronyms.
Examples include an RN applying for nursing roles, an IT project manager who has earned their PMP, or a social worker licensed in the state (LCSW).
ADDRESS
I recommend clients include their full address or at least their city, state and zip when applying for local roles, and to remove it when casting a wider net or when willing to consider a relocation.
The last thing the reader needs to be reminded of when reviewing a resume is that you live halfway across the country and may require an expensive move upon hire.
Conversely, a hiring manager will be delighted and reassured that you live locally!
The email you choose says a lot about a person – at least to a recruiter or hiring manager. When the goal of a resume is to remain timeless so no one knows if you are 25 or 85, don’t show your cards with an email handle that includes your year of birth (i.e., johndoe1964@gamilcom).
While the idea of changing your email may feel intimidating, the email provider you select speaks volumes in the opinion of many about your comfort level with technology.
Emails like AOL were cutting-edge back in the 1990s, but today are viewed as dated.
Prove you are up to speed in today’s high-tech world by creating an email for at the very least the purposes of your job hunt designed from the beginning to be web-based like gmail.com or me.com.
SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS
If the ability to embrace technology is important to the hiring manager or company with whom you wish to work, prove it! Include URLs or links to social media like LinkedIn, Twitter and even Instagram.
Keep in mind, however, that it is important to keep your personal and professional lives separate. That means these accounts should only be shared if the content on them is professional and relates to your career aspirations.
A GREAT FIRST IMPRESSION
How you dress, the power of your handshake, your ability to make strong eye contact, etc., are critical when it comes to making a great first impression during the interview process.
Likewise, the power of small details like the contact information on your resume is equally impactful. Select wisely to convey your best professional image!