What To Name Your Resume

By Paul D

July 5, 2022

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How To Correctly Name Your Resume File

Giveaway Winner Name Announced | Canadian Format Resume and Cover Letter | Canadian Dream

The best way to name your resume file is to put your first name, then last name, then the identity of the file.

For example, a good resume file name would be JaneDoeResume.doc or JaneDoe_Resume.doc.

If you want to go the extra mile and tailor each file for the job position, you can include the job title youre applying for.

So you can make it JaneDoeResumeOperationsManager.doc or JaneDoeResumeSalesPosition.doc.

Should You Put Your Middle Initial Or Suffixes On Your Resume

You can drop the Sr., Jr, II, III, or any other suffix that comes after your name, as these just present another data point that potential employers will have to sort through. That, and they may make you sound pretentious or arrogant, which you definitely dont want.

Youd also likely be better off dropping your middle initial as well, unless its closely associated with your identity like it is for William H. Macy or Michael J. Fox. Michael Fox just sounds weirdif your name also sounds weird to you when you drop the middle initial, then dont do it. Most people will prefer to leave it off, however.

How Many References Should You Have

Most job seekers should have between three and four references on their reference page.

However, if youre applying for a position that requires extensive vetting like a senior-level role, you should include between five and seven professional references.

But remember that all of your references should be high quality. Each reference should be able to meaningfully attest to your professional strengths and character. Dont include more references just to hit a higher number.

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Be Brief And To The Point

As a rule, you want to keep the entire file name, including file extensions and spaces, under 24 characters. That means using a short, recognizable file name. Create a file name that includes the most important information in the shortest possible amount of space. This will help people find it quickly and understand what they are looking at, which improves your chances as a candidate.

Example Resume And Cover Letter File Names

Here are some examples of professional resume file names:

JohnSmithResume.doc
Resume_JohnSmith.doc
CoverLetter_JohnSmith.doc

As you can see, these file names are simple and professional, and make it easy for employers to find the document they’re looking for.

When it comes to your resume and cover letter, first impressions are everything. Use our resume builder to create a resume that will help you get noticed by employers, and name your files in a way that will make it easy for them to find.

Creating a professional resume and cover letter can be a challenge, but with our tips, you’ll be able to create documents that will help you get noticed by employers.

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Resume Summary Or Objective

Your resume summary or objective should be a short, one to two sentence section that briefly explains who you are and why youre qualified. Carefully review the job posting for clues on which of your technical and soft skills will be most important and relevant.

Resume summaries and objectives are slightly different, and you should choose to include one or both depending on your background and the position youre seeking. A resume summary will describe your work experience, while a resume objective will state your short-term goals.

A summary is good if you have at least some work experience that can be quickly summarized. An objective statement, however, is better suited for those who have recently graduated from high school or college, or who otherwise have limited job experience.

Your resume summary could say:

Thoughtful construction laborer with over five years of experience helping manage teams toward successful and safe completion of housing projects.

Your resume objective could say:

Recent graduate eagerly looking to expand construction labor experience with a growing contractor.

In both your resume section and your summary, its important to avoid talking about topics more suited to a job interview, such as how much youre hoping to earn.

Choosing a file name for your resume may seem like an insignificant task.

But sometimes such small details can be crucially important.

When submitting your resume, you would want every part of your resume to look professional and present you in the best possible light.

And that means paying attention to every little detail, including the resumes name.

In order to do it right, we are going to go through some important topics, like:

Why is Your Resumes Name Important?
What to Name Your Resume File?
What Not to Name Your Resume File?

And we are going to leave you off with some great tips and tricks.

If you think there is still some room for improvement in your resume, check out How to Make Your Resume Stand Out.

But if you are ready to name your resume correctly and send it out, stick around.

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How To Name Your Resume File & Cover Letter

Common Resume File Name Mistakes To Avoid

SN name PP size photo of my resume for you to be a(4)

Dont send in a resume file name that is simply called Resume.doc.

Recruiters and hiring managers receive several resumes each day. They simply do not have the time or patience to sift through 50 of them titled Resume.doc trying to figure which belongs to whom.

Name your resume file using your full name. There are bound to be several Rachels, Michaels, Divyas out there. You dont want to leave your recruiter frustrated trying to figure out which resume file belongs to whom.

While you are at it, dont forget to specify what the document actually is. For instance, simply naming it Rachel-Green.doc does not tell recruiters what the document is. And honestly, nobody has the patience to figure it out for themselves either. Instead, write Rachel Green-Resume.doc to lend clarity.

Avoid file names such as Rachel-Resume-Updated.doc. Recruiters sure hope you are sending them an updated version there is no need to spell it out.

File names such as Rachel-Resume-Last.doc or Rachel-Resume-2020.doc are even worse than those that state they have been updated or revised. When you are sending in a resume file ensure you are sending the final version. Dont send revised or last versions. Similarly, it is best if you leave out the year or month in a file name. Including it only makes it look dated.

Do provide spacing or hyphens between words when creating a resume file name. Crunching it all together makes it hard to read.

****

Read Also: When Should You Put Gpa On Resume

Add Keywords From The Job Ad

Hard and soft skills keywords in a job posting tell you exactly what the company wants in an applicant. Hiring managers scan resumes for those keywords, so use the keywords that apply to you in your resume headline.

Also, some employers use applicant tracking system software to scan resumes for keywords. If your resume contains the keywords theyre searching for, youll be more likely to receive a job interview.

Example Skills To Put On A Resume

While you can often easily determine hard skills to list based on details in the job description, selecting relevant soft skills is not always as clear. To help narrow down which soft skills to put on a resume, review the various duties of the position and determine which of your personal strengths will help you successfully complete those tasks.

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How To Save Your Resume Or Cover Letter

resume.doc not 1. Keep the format consistent across itemsand always save as a PDF2. Include your last name in the document name

Firstname-Lastname-Resume.pdf i.e., Jane-Doe-Resume.pdf
Firstname-Lastname-References.pdf

3. Consider including the job title as well

Firstname-Lastname-Resume-Role.pdf i.e. Jane-Doe-Resume-Technical-Assistant.pdf

Dont Include Version Numbers

Even if it helps you organize your files better, numbers have no place in your resumes file name.

Employers dont need to know which version of your resume you have sent them.

As long as they are concerned, its a single, cohesive document of your work history.

So dont clutter your resumes file name with unnecessary information.

Read Also: How To Add Resume Lines In Word

Choosing An Effective Eye

1Include your own name in the resume title. Your name is unique to you, so it’s important that it is one of the first things you tell your employer. Make sure your name is always at the start of your resume title. This will make your resume much easier to manage and keep track of when it is in the hands of the employer.

When considering formatting make sure to pay special attention to the title and make it stand out, you want it to be the first thing the employers eyes are drawn to.

If your application is electronic dont forget to include your resume name in the title of your document. The title should read something like “JaneDoe.doc”.

2Include an eye-catching summary statement in the title. So youve already put your own name in the title, which will help to differentiate your resume from other applicants. However, you still need something more. Creating a summary statement to add to your title will grab the employers attention by showing that you have read the job description thoroughly and have the skills or experience they are looking for.

A summary statement is a few words to sum up the information in your resume. For example, if an employer is looking for someone with experience and success in negotiating and your resume has told them that you have those skills, you can name your resume Jane Doe Resume Negotiating Expert.

Hard Skills Vs Soft Skills

Employers are looking to hire employees who have the right mix of two different types of skills: soft skills and hard skills.

Image description

Hard Skills vs. Soft Skills

Hard Skills

Storage systems and management

Programming languages

Hard skills are technical knowledge or training that you have gained through any life experience, including in your career or education.

Soft Skills

Willingness to learn

Empathy

Soft skills are personal habits and traits that shape how you work, on your own and with others.

Hard skills are abilities specific to the job and/or industry. Generally, these are more technical skills that you learn in school, certification programs, training materials or experience on the job. Hard skills might include proficiency in things like:

Software
Foreign languages
Operating certain equipment or machinery

Soft skills, on the other hand, are abilities that can be applied in any job. Often, soft skills may be referred to as people skills or social skills and include proficiency in things like:

Communication
Time management
Leadership

As a job seeker, its important to highlight your best hard and soft skills to position yourself as a well-rounded candidate. Its also helpful to consider how the two types of skills relate to one another and the job so you can speak to this in your next interview.

So What Is A Good Filename For Your Resume

The most appropriate filename for a resume or cover letter is, naturally, your name. The hiring manager will be more likely to think it is a legitimate file and therefore, will be more likely to open it. It will also help them to find your resume or cover letter if searching for it via their mailbox. If your name is particularly long, you might want to abbreviate it. As a general rule, you want to keep your file name as short as possible, while making it easy to find and recognise. For instance, if your name was Bernard Theopolopotis, you may want to shorten it to B Theopolopotis resume. In this way, the hiring manager will still be able to find you, but it will keep it neat and professional.

Resume and cover letter filename examples

The naming convention used for your resume should match the one used for your cover letter so as not to confuse the hiring manager. For example, if your resume filename is A_Greenwood_Resume, your cover letter should be A_Greenwood_CoverLetter and not Alice_G_CoverLetter.

You should generally prioritize your last name since its more professional and can help differentiate you since other applicants may have your same first name.

Education & Human Services

State capture inquiry set to resume

26. K12 Teacher Skilled at Assessing and Guiding 150+ Students Per Term

27. Social Worker with 7+ Years Experience Leading 24 Weekly Therapy Groups

28. CPR/AED Certified Lifeguard Ensuring Safety for 100+ Swimmers Daily

29. Teacher Assistant Successfully Managing Classes of 30+ Students

30. Certified Public Librarian and Recent Recipient of an MA in Library Science

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How To Name A Resume

wikiHow is a wiki, similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, volunteer authors worked to edit and improve it over time. This article has been viewed 19,982 times.

William Shakespeare once asked, whats in a name? When it comes to resumes, names are very important as they are the first thing a potential new employer will see about you. You want to tell potential new employers who you are and why you are the person for the job. This article will show you how to combine your name with a summary statement to create the perfect title for your resume. Once you have done that, you are ready to apply for jobs and stand out from the crowd. Just see Step 1 below to get started.

How To Choose A Resume Name

November 16, 2021 | By Pauline Delaney| Reviewed by Conrad Benz

While it might seem unimportant, a clear, professional resume name helps employers easily identify your application. Learn how to choose a clear and professional resume file name.

The name you choose for your resume may seem unimportant. However, getting it wrong can make your resume seem unprofessional.

In a competitive job market, hiring managers often have hundreds of resumes to sift through, which means that every part of your application matters. Paying attention to detail and making sure your application and resume are error-free will help increase your chances of securing a job interview.

So, when youre thinking of how to write a resume, you also need to learn the best resume file naming practices.

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Understanding Why Resume Names Are Important

1Realize that your resume title is the first thing a prospective employer sees. Todays job market is a tough one. You have to present yourself to potential new employers in a way that shows that you know what they want and you are the perfect person for the job. The first thing an employer will see about you is your resume title, so it’s important to make it good.

2Know that an informative resume title will prevent your application from getting lost. Including your name in the title will make administration easier for the employer and it will ensure your resume stays visible during each stage of the hiring process. Including a summary statement tells the employer you have the skills they want.

3Understand that a good resume name can be a powerful self-marketing tool. A good file name for your resume is a great marketing tool which you can use to create your mark on the hiring managers computer. By naming your resume something like “Joe-Smith-Sales-Manager-Resume”, you are drawing your recruiter’s attention to your name and skills every time they scroll through their database.

When you do this, you are standing out, effectively waving to them, and not giving them a single opportunity to miss your resume. It also tells them that you are serious and clear about your career goal.

Why Is Your Resumes Name Important

First off, we need to find out why is your resumes name so significant.

Your resumes file name is the first thing your potential employer sees.

It is what distinguishes you from the pile of resumes they receive for each open position.

Chances are, if your resumes file name looks professional, your potential employer is more likely to open it.

Making your resumes file name brief and easy-to-read works greatly in your favor.

With hiring managers busy schedule, it may be a matter of seconds if you get called in for an interview or not.

Furthermore, using a good resume file name can make your resume easier to find in email inboxes.

So if someone is looking for your resume, they will be more likely to find it.

Keeping your resumes file name short and to the point really helps you make a good impression and improve your chances among all candidates.

How To Name Resume And Cover Letter Files

When applying for a job, you must always be certain you are presenting yourself in a professional mannernot just with how you present your resume and what you write in the body of your cover letter, but also in the small details. One area applicants often overlook is the naming of their files. When submitting an application digitally through an online form or email, your prospective employer will likely see the filenames you choose, so there should be a purpose behind them.

In this article, well discuss how to name your files so they are professional and easy to read to start your application strongly.

Image description

Formatted like a business letter

Explains your interest in and qualifications for a position with specific examples

May either be optional or required by employer

Resume:

Reverse-chronological, functional or combination formatting options

Summarizes your relevant experience and achievements

Commonly required when applying for jobs

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