What are the rules for résumés?

Dear J.T. and Dale: I remember being told that my résumé should be one page. Recently, my employer was hiring and we were getting two- to three-page résumés. One person even had a section with her personal information: kids, hobbies. What are the rules? — Shiloh

J.T.: There are no set rules these days. Honestly, that’s a problem: Without rules, résumés come in so many different styles that hiring managers feel they are comparing apples to oranges. It’s starting to seem inevitable that online profiles will take the place of résumés, creating more consistency in how people present their credentials.

Dale: Here’s one big rule to keep in mind: The résumé’s ONLY function is to get you an interview. That means — and this is hard to get your mind around — your résumé is NOT ABOUT YOU. It’s about how you might fit in with the company and what’s important to management.

J.T.: There are two other rules that will guide the reader to see your qualifications in a way that helps you get an interview:

1. Formatting is everything! Don’t use small fonts (less than 11-point), and don’t fill the page with long-winded paragraphs. Simplify the format to create white space so that the eye is drawn to key information.

2. No more than two pages … and that’s if you have 15-plus years of experience. Otherwise, try to keep it to one page. If you have to carry over to two pages in order to keep the formatting clean, that’s fine.

Dale: Clean and simple is another way to help the reader, and thus a way to prove to the reader that you’re the sort to jump in and help.

Dear J.T. and Dale: I just found out yesterday that a company I applied to left me a voicemail message 10 days ago about the position. I have no excuse other than that it was a hectic time and I thought the number belonged to a friend. I want to call them, but how do I explain? — Brad

J.T.: Simply say: “I can’t tell you how horrified I am that I missed your call. It was a hectic time, but that’s no excuse. I’d been hoping to hear from you, so you can imagine how my heart dropped when I realized you had left a message and I hadn’t responded yet. I just hope I’m not out of the running!”

Dale: Who hasn’t had a similar situation? The person who called you will understand. It may even be to your benefit if it establishes a human connection — “Oh, yes, I remember you — you’re the guy who missed my message.” On the other hand, the job may already have been filled. If so, express your disappointment and ask to be considered for future positions; it could be that you’ll gain a head start on the next opening.

Jeanine “J.T.” Tanner O’Donnell is a professional development specialist and the founder of the consulting firm jtodonnell. Dale Dauten resolves employment and other business disputes as a mediator with AgreementHouse.com.