If you are interested in a position at LONG, but are struggling with your resume, look no further. As any job seeker knows, writing a great resume and knowing just what to say can be a bit tricky. As a former Career Adviser and the current Corporate Recruiter for LONG, one of the most common issues I experience is receiving resumes that don't represent the candidate well. A resume is the first opportunity an individual has to communicate his or her's education, experiences, skills, and accomplishments to the company, so it is the perfect means of making a good first impression.

Despite the challenge of writing a good resume, most jobs above basic entry-level positions will require one. Even if you are a titan in your field, at some point, a resume will be requested of you. If you want to make a good impression at a new employer, it’s important to provide a presentable and complete document. LONG requires a resume from all applicants, no matter the position he or she is applying for. If you are looking to be employed at LONG, submitting a quality resume is your first step.

My goal is to provide a template and some tips to ensure that everyone has the basic tools needed to write a great resume. This template can be customized for most industries and professionals, and the tips below should help make the most of the template.

1. Resumes need to be generated in either a Microsoft word or PDF format and avoid pre-loaded text boxes or tables. If they are created using any other document format, you risk your resume uploading poorly, or even not uploading at all, into the companies Applicant Tracking System (ATS).
2. Be cautious when using resumes that have text boxes, tables, or any other pre-formatted field. Though they may appear organized and clear on your computer, when uploaded into an ATS, they often become distorted and unreadable.
3. There are a lot of ways to make a resume work, but consistent formatting will create a cleaner document. Use the same font type, be conscientious of when you change font size, and ensure you use the same presentation formatting for every job. It’s also best to center justify the title of each resume section to ensure it uploads properly.
4. You don’t necessarily need to customize your entire resume for every individual application, however, having a small section on your resume that you adjust to highlight your skills for each job can help bring you to the top of the resume pile.  
5. The fastest way to get your resume kicked out is to submit a resume customized for one company to a different one, so be sure to keep track of what versions you submit to specific companies.
6. Be sure to focus on the basics. Eliminate or minimize spelling and grammatical mistakes, ensure the contact information listed is accurate and up to date, and make sure you are checking your email, spam folder, and voicemail on a regular basis when job hunting.
7. When describing past roles make sure you describe what your actual job was as well as highlighting your accomplishments. You could have a decade of experience doing the same job at a competitor, but if you only outline accomplishments with no context it won’t be apparent.
8. Resumes should be limited to a page or a page and a half. If additional room is needed, job seekers can widen margins, slightly shrink font, and play with spacing (all within reason) to keep the resume at an acceptable length.
9. Don’t forget to edit your resume for grammar, spelling, content, and format. I also recommend looping in friends and colleagues to provide a fresh perspective on the document. Be sure to reedit if you make any changes.
10. Write your resume before you start job hunting and keep it updated regularly, even when you have a secure job. If you find yourself in need or want of a new job, having a resume ready that you feel confident in will make your job hunt that much easier.  

Interested in applying to LONG? View all our open positions and submit your great, new resume here.