How is your resume set up?

[FederalSecurity]

Hey everyone. For my first thread, I thought the subject of how a resume

should be structured would suffice. So how about it? Aside from your duty

experience and your education, what else do all of you think is warranted?

What do all of you think about objectives, hobbies, licenses and certifications,

awards recieved, organizations and associations, etc.? Aside from that, how

many pages do you think is necessary? Tell me what all of you think. Any

answers will be appreciated and thought hard over.

[hrdickinson]

Resume

Here are my suggestions for whatever they are worth:

First Section - Professional Goals and Objectives

Second Section - Work History is descending order. List all significant achievements, or experience under each employer.

Third Section - Educational Information

Fourth Section - List of professional associations including your personal involvement

Fifth Section - Personal Data such marital status, kids, hobbies,

I would try to keep it to two pages if possible (play with the fonts!)

Stress your personal involvement in decisions, analysis (i.e. "Member of a six person team chosen to analyze...")

Good Luck!

[FederalSecurity]

Richard,

Thank you for this advice. I'm going to attempt to integrate some of this

into my resume. Right now my resume is structured like this:

1) Objective

2) Career Path (Jobs)

3) Accreditations (Licenses and Certifications)

4) Awards Received

5) Education

6) Miscellaneous (WPM Typed, Computer Knowledge, Languages, etc.)

7) References

Although I personally do not see any need for marital status, hobbies,

etc., I am going to bump my education to my number 3 slot and consider

about how to utilize the duty experience under each position and stress my

involvment when applicable. Thanks again, Richard.

[FederalSecurity]

Hey JimmyHat,

You've got some excellent advise for me to think about as well. Sorry

to hear about the ex, but congratulations on the resume! Heh Heh!! I'm

actually raving about that idea about the college courses that relate to our

field! I would have never thought of that in a hundred years. I'm going to

really look into that suggestion about what improvements I took from where

and how they will help me contribute to the next position. Thank you for this

advice, Jimmy.

[jimmyhat]

Hey JimmyHat,

You've got some excellent advise for me to think about as well. Sorry

to hear about the ex, but congratulations on the resume! Heh Heh!! I'm

actually raving about that idea about the college courses that relate to our

field! I would have never thought of that in a hundred years. I'm going to

really look into that suggestion about what improvements I took from where

and how they will help me contribute to the next position. Thank you for this

advice, Jimmy.

Fed, I took that post down for no other reason than my own reasons. I'm glad you could take something from it while it lasted, I've had some success with that format in the past.

I have different formats for private, state, local, and fed. All of which have been successful. if you're working on something specific, shoot me an IM and I'll be glad to help out if I can.

Good luck.

[HotelSecurity]

As someone who does the hiring I want one that is short & sweet. I don't like the ones that are 10 pages long, with photocopies of diplomas received for every course ever taken. List them on the CV & if I want to see them I'll ask. (Just my 2 cents!)

[Guest]

As someone who had to regularly read resumes and set up interviews, here are my opinions.

Any resume should only be one page; maybe two pages at the most if you have a lot of experience/education relevant to the job you are applying for. I wouldn't even look at a resume that was longer than two pages.

Listing your career objective is a must, as are licenses and certifications, especially if the job your are applying for requires specific certifications. Any resume I received that did not list the minimum certifications specified in my employment ad went right into the garbage without a second glance.

I would recommend not listing any hobbies, interests, etc. on your resume, unless you desperately need to fill some space on the page. I always wanted to know about an applicant's activities outside of work, but I would save those questions for the interview. All I wanted to see on an applicant's resume was that the applicant met the minimum standards for experience, education, and licensing that I set. More in-depth information was asked for in the interview.

[FederalSecurity]

HotelSecurity,

You have some sensible advice there, because I have also heard that any

resume should be two pages at the most. If there is any way I can, I need

to shorten mine as well. Thank you.

[FederalSecurity]

histfan71,

What you have said is something that I haven't heard very much. I was

always under the impression that a resume is just another way of "selling

myself", and so I guess that's why I've always tried to list the most I could.

Thanks for the advice, histfan71.

[N. A. Corbier]

It depends on the interviewer. When I was tasked with selecting potential applicants, I would look at resumes for the following, with preference by listing:

State Security Officer License
State Firearm Permit
Prior Military (Vet Owned - Vet Pref)
Prior Florida LE
Prior Florida Armed Security
Prior Other State LE
Prior Other State Armed Security
Prior Security

IFPO meant nothing to the company I worked for, nor did ASIS. Basically, you had to have a license, a firearm permit. Mil came before cops. Florida cops are pre-trained in Florida Law. Prior FL Armed Security was also pre-trained. Police from other states needed trained in FL law, as did security.

[Jackhole]

Try to keep your resume at one page in length. Any longer and the reader will lose interest.

[Mr. Security]

Resume

If I am applying for a supervisory position in security, then a resume is appropriate. Low paying entry level security positions only warrant an application, IMO.

I once had a security company ask me for a resume for a low-paying s/o position. I wanted to mock them by asking them if they thought I was inquiring about a VP position. Instead I politely said thanks, but no thanks.

[Jackhole]

If I am applying for a supervisory position in security, then a resume is appropriate. Low paying entry level security positions only warrant an application, IMO.

I once had a security company ask me for a resume for a low-paying s/o position. I wanted to mock them by asking them if they thought I was inquiring about a VP position. Instead I politely said thanks, but no thanks.

I showed up to my interview with a resume for a ~$12/hr. position.

[Mr. Security]

I showed up to my interview with a resume for a ~$12/hr. position.

This was 10/hour.

[Jackhole]

This was 10/hour.

Pretty good money around here for security officers. I would have brought a resume.