CMU School of Drama


Wednesday, August 21, 2019

The CEO of a Major Headhunting Firm Says the Best Resume He's Ever Seen Had These 6 Things

Inc.com: You've probably heard the phrase, "Time to dust off the ol' resume." Whether you're currently looking for a job or not, it's always good to have an up-to-date resume ready.

Gary Burnison, the CEO of Korn Ferry, a leading headhunting and talent selection/hiring firm, shared in June on CNBC's Make It what he loved about the best resume he ever saw. It wasn't the astonishing credentials within it, he said, but that it had these six things going for it.

2 comments:

Mary Emily Landers said...

I think this article gives a really simplistic way of talking about what makes up a good resume, because after sitting in so many classes and seminars and workshops alike where we discuss what makes a good resume, the main thing I have pulled from them is that every single employer is going to have a different opinion on what makes a good resume. Yes, there are usually a lot of general practices and standards for resumes, like the ones pointed out in the article, but when it gets into the nitty gritty of “your typeface should be this big” or “you should have this particular phrasing” there are so many varied opinions from so many reputable sources that it can be difficult to reliably pick one that will universally please. Also, these 6 “tips” of things the best resume should have, should arguably be considered 5 tips because I would say that having your resume recommended to an employer doesn’t necessarily have to do with how well you craft a resume but rather how good you are at networking.

Olav Carter said...

Especially to us college students and adults (ugh), such a document and tip guide could be super useful. I know many of the resume tip guides we receive from college seem super stereotypical. Even now I receive tips from certain people and I question how trustworthy the tips actually are: are they based on experience, preference, both, etc.?
This article in particular plays well to a college student’s mind I think because it’s taken as reference from someone who legitimately reads resumes and makes decisions based on the content and precision in writing. I’m not entirely sure of the process itself, but understanding where those who read our resumes even slightly more helps.
Even just the coming “via recommendation” I didn’t think was necessary. Up until now, I thought one could create the “perfect resume” on their own, and the sense of independence regarding the resume would help one’s case. I suppose it makes sense being recommended/referred, but it never came to mind as such for some reason.
This article is a super helpful read for anyone who’s just looking for tips on improving their resume, whether you need simple fixes like making it more readable, or more complex or difficult revisions like getting yourself a noteworthy recommendation. Definitely check it out if you want to improve your resume.