Remember the job-search advice your grandfather gave your father right when he graduated, that your father is no passing on to you? Times have changed, and you don't need it anymore, says US News.
Older generations always said to invest in good resume paper, saying it made a good impression and showed potential employers you cared. These days, with the ease and widespread use of the Internet, electronic and online submissions are the way to go. Shift your focus from the grade and shade of your resume paper to content, keywords and formatting. They're what make or break your impression nowadays.
Be real. Gone are the days when talking about how you're a perfectionist or a workaholic would impress employers. Now, they look for honesty, but they also look for substance. They're targeted, no-nonsense employers who want the right fit, and if they think you're being too pompous, they don't like you already.
Whatever you do, don't call to schedule an interview. Earlier, it used to be seen as determination and doggedness, now, you'll just look unprofessional, not to mention pushy. Employers decide if they want to give you a second round, and they are the ones who schedule the interview, if they do. Interviewers and potential employers may have a whole lot of paperwork to go through and hundreds of applicants to process. Show them you respect their time by doing what they ask of you.
They always said your resume should be one page. This is no longer true, according to Career Realism, and two page resumes are the norm almost everywhere now, despite the fact that not every (irrelevant) job you've worked has to go on your resume anymore. It is, at least, much better than cramming everything on one page.
Older resumes also have two CV elements that are now old fashioned. At the top of the resume, applicants used to have an 'Objective' section that customized the resume for each job applied for. This is no longer necessary, and neither is 'References available upon request' at the bottom of the page. These days, if employers want references, they'll ask you.
