To Basic Resume or to Not Basic Resume

6 Comments

1. AnonymousApril 7,2025 at 2:00PM UTC

   Headshots? For a finance and/or data analytics role? No. And company requirements will vary.

2. Tami L CannizzaroApril 7,2025 at 2:50PM UTC

   Simple format is better. Hiring managers want to scan quickly to get a feel for the contributions you will bring to their organization. Experience bullets should highlight your quantitative results/wins - lead with action verbs, such as "increased, saved, led, grew, etc." Use numbers to make a point, using phrases like "as many as", "more than", "approximately" if you don't want to share exact figures or don't remember. Use a professional title at the top of your resume, and right below that, a 2-3 sentence professional statement that gives the reader a good picture of who you are as a professional. Your bullets should show your expertise in data analytics and finance, including specific computer expertise you may have. I have not heard of using a portfolio for finance interviews yet that doesn't mean someone won't ask for it. If you see this in job descriptions, have a separate portfolio/samples ready in case they ask for it. And in the U.S. photos on resumes are a "no". Hope this helps!

3. AnonymousApril 7,2025 at 4:54PM UTC

   Please for ALL that is good in the world, no headshots, no funky font, no portfolio examples, and no fun colors. Resume created specifically to speak to the role you're applying for providing any measurable percentages you can provide.

4. Joan Williams, Senior Talent Acquisition SpecialistApril 7,2025 at 6:42PM UTC

   If you're in the US, absolutely no to pictures on your resume unless you are a model or an actor.

   Please keep your resume format simple. Reverse chronological order. Bullet points, not large paragraphs. Please don't put "references available upon request". Please don't put your home address - just city, state and zip code. At least 10, if not 12 font - please don't try to murder my eyeballs by squeezing everything on one page by making it 7 font.

   If you're a creative and have a portfolio - like a graphic designer - provide a link to your portfolio.

   BASIC, with lots of white space so it's easy to read.

5. AnonymousApril 8,2025 at 4:01PM UTC

   It depends. Find out what ATS (applicant tracking system) they are using and then see if there are any issues with formatting of reading the contents with fancy layouts and such. It might be prudent to save the fancy stuff until after being confirmed as a candidate vs an applicant. Then you can walk them through your fabulous work product and show them directly why you are the one, vs possibly risking being rejected by out of context information that might be confusing. Definitely, absolutely NO headshots. What you look like should be no part of the hiring process at all.

6. Krystin MorganApril 10,2025 at 10:07PM UTC

   Simple is better, and if you're in the US, it's definitely not customary to include a headshot.

   Don't get too bogged down with "ATS formatting," though—nearly any ATS can handle any Word or PDF document. What you want to be mindful of is the person reading it, and unless you're in a creative field, there's no reason to use fancy designs and formats. :)