Quantify. That’s right. Numbers. Everyone in CRE wants to know SF, deal size, $, and more (asset name, location, etc.).
Your resume needs your city, state, and zip. Do not list your street address – a holiday card will not be sent.
Look at quantity of information per position. In general, older roles need less info, newer roles need more. If you’re looking to parlay your current role into a role the next step higher, expand on this info.
As you progress, older roles start falling off.
If you are under 30 years old, keep resume to 1 page; Over 30, your resume can be 2 pages.
Shorter the stint, less info needed.
Your resume is never done; get it to 95% and keep it there.
There is no perfect resume. You want your resume to be in the above average pile, not below average.
Basic Information, Content & Consistency
No street address. City, state, and zip code. One email. One cell.
References should not be on resume. Keep project list a separate document.
If you choose to use periods after each bullet point, then make sure every bullet point is consistent.
Present tense for current role, past tense for past roles. Stay consistent; (–) vs (—).
Utilize one font for the entirety of your resume.
Spacing — Look at the line break symbol to make sure of consistency between sections.
Include personal achievements specific to your role and brag (a little)… Your resume shouldn’t just say what you do, but how well you do it.
Must include technical skills; i.e. Financial Modeling, Excel, Argus.
Proof Reading & Sending Off Resume
Sit down with someone…anyone. Give them a copy of your resume and let them review it for 60 seconds.
When finished, have them turn it over and write down the top 3 things that come to mind. This is how you are perceived on paper.
Do this with 2 or more people… the more the merrier. Update your resume by year end. Your resume is never truly done. Get it to 95% completion and keep it at 95% with tweaks/updates here and there.
Unless specified otherwise, your resume should be submitted as a PDF. This format allows no flagged words or phrases, no unpredictable format changes, and PDFs cannot be altered.
Recruiters will specify in the job posting which file format you should send your resume. If they didn’t, or they gave you a free choice, always go with PDF.
Choosing & Preparing References
Have a ready list of references, ideally previous supervisors who will provide strong testimonials on your behalf. This may be someone who left your company or a leader you worked directly with.
As you progress in your career, add and remove individuals from your reference list as appropriate.
3 references is ideal.
Make sure you have permission from your references.
Stay in touch with your references. Do not reach out to someone you haven’t spoken to in 3-5+ years and immediately ask for a reference.
Prepare your reference. Talk to them about what you’re applying for.
Do not include references on your resume. They are valuable to you and you don’t want to unnecessarily waste their time.
Follow up with reference, thank them, and keep them updated and update on the status of your job search.
