Resume Writing: Art or science?

Myth: Resume writing is simple.

Truth: Resume writing is both an art, and a science.

Most of us are in one camp or the other when it comes to this argument – isn't it insightful? Here, I'm diving into my experience and perspective on the art vs science of a resume.

Have you ever googled, “How to write a resume”? 

You will retrieve over 75 million results in 0.45 seconds. 

And I can guarantee you that they are NOT the same advice. I can also vouch for the fact that most of it is rubbish. 

There are a lot of reputable websites and companies that will give you some good pointers on what to include, what not to include and why. Over the years, I have developed a range of preferences and structures that I use time and time again for my clients' resumes because they have proven to be successful.  

The only problem is, from one very different client to the next, they apply for different jobs. On the receiving end of those jobs, are different hiring managers, different standards and different ideas. Ultimately, different perspectives are what make it very difficult to guarantee any sort of success with a resume.  

Here is a statement for you to consider. 

Resume Writing is an ART. 

When I first considered this, I thought...that's ridiculous. As someone who is married to an artist, I feel a bit like a fraud saying this – it is a business document, yes. It has a structured approach to presenting information about a candidate, yes. So, is it an art form?

I had to consider this closely.

After delivering just over 1000 resumes to my clients, I would now say that yes, it is an art form.  

As opposed to science... science is fact. Science is proven. Science is data and can be proven right or wrong. 

You could argue that there are elements of science in a resume. You need to gather accurate data. You need to present it systematically for others to consume, and you need to deliver those facts in a way that they understand. Science encompasses the ability to understand why or how something works. You need to understand why your client is applying for this job, and how they will fit. Your audience – the recipient of the resume – needs to understand this message, too.

Art is defined by expression and interpretation. It is typically in a visual form, produced to invoke an emotion or reaction. We want to invoke a reaction of - YES, I want to know more about this person.

Resumes could be considered an art because you can tell what kind of art it is by looking at it - a determinant of art itself. And, like art, the real trick in resumes is appealing to your audience, whilst representing your candidate, their personality, achievements, values and really selling them as the right person for the job.  

The biggest part of this for me is the fact that art is so vulnerable to how it is perceived by the consumer.  

And – BOOM – that is EXACTLY my stance on resumes. 

There is no right or wrong way to write a resume – because you could write the most ‘technically correct’ resume, and have the first point of contact in the hiring process toss it aside because there is a pink column on the resume and they hate the colour pink.    

Oxford dictionary:  

Art: 

the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power. 

Science: 

a systematically organised body of knowledge on a particular subject. 

And, depending on your own opinion, background and perspective, you will align resume writing with one of the above definitions more than the other. That’s fine. That’s the nature of the beast. We all see things from a different perspective. 

 Did I make my point? We are all different in the way we read things, so how can we write a resume that appeals to all possible audiences? 

We can’t.  

I know many resume writers market and advertise that they can. But, they simply cannot. There are no guarantees of outcome in this kind of work. (By the way, if you see a guarantee of this nature, run – quickly – in the other direction).

My firm belief is that there is no right or wrong way to write a resume. What's 'right' in one person's eyes will be 'wrong' in the eyes of another. That is also the beauty of ART.

In conclusion, I believe the art is in the construction and presentation of the resume. We use data, and science-driven information gathering to build a case for our client as the ideal candidate – we then interpret it, dance with it, and design it to showcase them to an audience. So, it's a beautiful combination of both art and science.

Remember: we are marketing our client as the ideal candidate. We are writing for a new audience every time we do this - it's important to know and understand what that audience is seeking while representing our client's achievements, personality, and capabilities, all in a 2-page document (give or take). It's a beautiful skill to have, and I love this work.