US Resumes Do's Don'ts and Differences

There are a lot of differences to get used to as an international moving to NYC, but how you present yourself professionally is perhaps one of the most important points to make sure you get right. While many New York companies are making the move to LinkedIn rather than using traditional resumes, there are still many instances when you will need to have a resume ready to present to a potential employer. Rita Moniodes explains how to know whether you should use a CV or a resume, and what to include and not include when writing your US resume.What is the difference between a resume and a CV?The primary differences are the length, the content, and the purpose. A resume is a one or two page summary of your skills, experience, and accomplishments. It is a marketing tool. The goal of resume writing is to be brief and concise since, at best, the resume reader will spend only a minute or so reviewing your qualifications.A curriculum vitae, commonly referred to as a CV, is a longer (two or more pages), more detailed synopsis, generally used in countries outside of the US. It includes a summary of your educational and academic background as well as teaching and research experience, publications, presentations, awards, honors, affiliations, and other details.When should you use a CV in the US?The resume is the standard document used in a job search in the US. A CV is commonly used in Europe and can be used as supplemental document in the US if requested for specific roles. Typical types of roles in the US where a CV may be requested are: international academic faculty, education, clinical, scientific, or research positions, or when applying for fellowships or grants.  If you are not applying to these types of positions, a CV will not be used in job search in the US. As with a resume, you may need different versions of a CV for different types of positions.What should go on a resume? When looking for a job in the US a resume is the document used to showcase your skills and experience. Keep in mind that what you might expect to include on a resume in your home country likely won’t match what you should include in the US.Here is a list of do’s and don’ts to keep in mind:

DO NOT INCLUDE	INCLUDE
AgeGenderReligionRaceMarital statusA photoHealth status / weightHobbiesHonors and activities that are irrelevant to the positionDo not write paragraphsLinks to FacebookStylish, funny, or fancy fontsHigh school information is not needed if you have a higher level degree	Contact information: name, address, phone, emailSummary of experienceKey skillsJob experience and accomplishments: start current and go back 15 yearsEducation: institution name, degree, majorUS work statusLanguages spoken

 Writing a resume, US-style.A chronological approach is the most commonly used format for resumes, which are generally two pages in length.  It helps the reader determine what skills you have, how fresh they are, and how long you have used them in the marketplace.Begin by listing your name, address and contact information. Below your contact information, write a short summary of your achievements and highlight your strengths and skills. What are you adept at? What are you known for? What is your WOW factor? Remember, the top third of your resume is prime real estate and should not contain something as outdated as a statement of your objectives. The reader already knows you are looking for a job like the one advertised. It's better to put a personal branding statement and skills summary in this key area.The next section is your professional experience. Start with your most recent employer and position, and work backwards. Do not detail your whole work history, just focus on the last 15 years or so. Generally, the older the experience is, the less relevant it becomes. For each title held, provide a brief paragraph that details the scope of your responsibilities. Then create a bulleted list of your top contributions. The bullets draw attention to your accomplishments, while giving the eye a place to rest, and help to keep your resume clean, professional, and focused. Each bullet needs to address an action you took and the value or result of the work you did. This creates an accomplishment statement.Accomplishment statements are the place to shine. If you are good at what you do, prove it with examples in the form of accomplishment statements. Don’t be shy. If you show that you consistently produced positive results for previous employers, you will be seen as a desirable candidate. The key is to emphasize your accomplishments and provide quantifiable proof of your potential value. Most hiring managers only skim resumes, and leading with strong qualifications can be a good attention-getter. If you give a hiring manager the information needed to make a quick decision about your credentials, you will have an edge over other applicants.Final TipsWhen approaching resume writing, think about these things:

• What types of challenges did you face in each of your past positions? What actions did you take to overcome the problems or challenges? What was the result of your efforts, and how did your performance benefit the company, client, customer, team or project? Write down a list of your accomplishments and incorporate the most impressive ones into your resume.
• The resume’s job is to get you the interview, not to get you the job.  Include enough information about your skills and experience to prove you can do the job but do not include everything you ever did.
• Always include your educational background starting with the highest degree first and work back.
• Be sure to remove any overly personal information. Your resume should focus on your strengths, skills and experience, not on personal information.