Frequently Asked Questions about Resumes

A resume is often the deciding factor in getting a job interview. To ensure this opportunity, the candidate must make sure their resume is as expressive as possible and avoid any errors in form.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How to weigh the sections "Personal Data", "Education" and "Professional Experience"?
For the distribution of sections, it is recommended to apply roughly the following rule:

For "beginners": 20% for personal data and 80% for education.
For candidates already having professional experience: 10% for personal data, 30% for education and 60% for professional experience.

2. What to do with the "gaps" in my resume?
Recruiters don't like "gaps" in resumes. They assume this hides "problematic cases" and put a resume with "gaps" on the pile of files to be "returned to sender".

If your resume has gaps, it is useful to integrate directly after the "Personal Data" section a short profile highlighting the key points of your education and professional experience.
Filling the "periods without work" in your resume with little lies is not a good solution because sooner or later, the truth will come out. Try instead to provide positive explanations.

Examples:
Avoid the term "unemployment", write instead "looking for a job". If it is a prolonged period without employment, it is certainly wise to specify that you took the opportunity to, for example, improve your language or computer skills.
If you have, for example, managed your parents' business for a few months while they were ill, this is certainly positive since it is an activity that requires a certain talent in organization, initiative, and, if applicable, managerial skills.
Similarly, a long stay abroad is considered a positive element because it is synonymous with enriching "life" experiences. A period dedicated to caring for a sick parent or parental leave to take care of a child is also now considered an asset.
And finally, "reorientation periods" are no longer viewed critically nowadays, but rather represent a valuable experience in one's personal journey.

3. What to do if my resume is very long?
The golden rule for the length of your resume is: do not exceed 2 pages in A4 format. No need to choose a smaller font size and/or remove the lines between the different sections. These subterfuges will not be appreciated because reading your resume will only be more difficult.
By adapting your resume to the company to which you are applying, you will have less difficulty selecting the useful information and dropping the additional training or internship that will not add value for the company in question.

4. Should I mention maiden names, name changes, etc.?
No. No need to specify maiden name or name changes following a divorce, adoption, etc.

5. Should I detail information about marital status?
Write that you are single, married, widowed or divorced, but there is no need to specify for how long (e.g., "widowed since..."). If you have children, mention only their age and gender, without mentioning their first names.
Example:
"A daughter (7 years old) and a son (3 years old)".

6. Should I specify the names of parents and/or the profession of the spouse?
Definitely: no. This information is irrelevant to your application.

7. Should "soft skills" type qualities be mentioned?
It is quite wise to integrate your "soft skills", but you should not list them in a separate section. Ask yourself: what are the soft skills important for the targeted job?

If you are applying for a project manager position, you can mention that you are president of your sports club, specifying that within the framework of these activities, you are in charge of the complete organization of the club and regular events. This demonstrates not only your personal commitment, but also a certain talent in organization, the ability to manage a budget and a schedule, and possibly also managerial skills - everything you need to be a good project manager.

8. How much importance should be given to the "Hobbies and Sports" section?
Generally, it is enough to mention 1 or 2 points. Indeed, it is not a question of submitting a report of your activities during your leisure time. Never forget that recruiters systematically interpret what they read and draw conclusions.

If you write for example "Solitary bike trips", the recruiter will probably think that you don't like contacts. If, on the contrary, you practice a sport like volleyball, this evokes your team spirit.

Here again, remember that there is no point in inventing: stick to the truth!

9. Which qualifications and additional training should be mentioned?
If you have followed many internships and additional training and obtained several additional qualifications, you will have to make a choice - if only in favor of the brevity of your resume. Only mention the elements that add value for your future employer.

10. What to do if I only worked for a short period at one or more companies?
If this is due to external circumstances, it is quite possible to mention these reasons. Examples: "Termination of the employment contract due to the liquidation of the company" or "...as part of the restructuring resulting from the merger of the company with xxx".

If your employer separated from you for reasons inherent to your person, you can write that the period spent in this company was a fixed-term contract or an internship and explain that you wished to reorient yourself.

11. In what situation should a resume be submitted in English?
The resume should only be submitted in English if this is expressly stated in the job offer. Indeed, the resume must systematically be written in the language of the job offer or, as the case may be, the official language of the company to which you are applying.

12. What to do if my resume does not have a guiding thread?
In general, when a recruiter finds that the resume is characterized by the absence of a guiding thread, they will conclude at least a lack of consistency and often an inappropriate personal or professional planning. In the eyes of the recruiter, a person who changes employers every two years, for example, but each time "tastes" a completely different profession, apparently does not really know what they want to do. Therefore, it is important for you to position yourself accordingly and to define a clear and precise objective for your professional career.

Giselle Chaumien-Wetterauer.

Monster.ch