Destination Success: Resumes should be short, sweet - unless you're Donald Trump

Sinara Stull O'Donnell is a professional speaker and writer through Springfield-based SinaraSpeaks. She is the author of "Be The Star Of Your Life: Are You Ready For Your Close-Up?"

Dear Sinara: How do I know if my resume is too long and what is at risk if it is?

Vince Fraumeni, Hacienda Heights, Calif.

Dear Vince: Let's make it real simple: if it is longer than two pages, and you are not Donald Trump, it is too long!

The word resume is loosely translated as "summary." A resume that is longer than two pages is not a summary, but a biography. You might ask yourself the following question: If the reader learns nothing else about my background, they should learn ? (You fill in the blank.)

In order to condense your resume into two pages, you might try the following;

Take out two highlighters and mark the items you must include and those that are optional. Use this color-coded resume to write a new, concise resume.

Summarize your resume in one sentence. If you have difficulty with this, your resume is probably too wordy.

In considering the length of a resume, you need to remember who is looking at it. The first viewer is the so-called gatekeeper, usually a human resources representative. This overworked individual has many responsibilities, including reviewing hundreds of resumes a week. Sad to say, most resumes will receive no more than a cursory reading of perhaps a minute. The gatekeeper will then cull out the resumes he or she feels best meet the job description. Keep in mind that the human resources person is not in your field. The resume must touch on salient points in order to catch attention.

The next reviewer is the overworked manager you wish to work for. The very reason he or she needs to hire you is that they don't have much time for resume reading. Sad to say, but they will also skim and cull to the resumes that fit their needs best.

In short, a long resume risks looking pretentious, boring and it may not sell. Think bullet points and you'll hit your mark!

Sinara's sidebar: When I was an executive recruiter, I received a resume which was five pages long and began: "I am 35 years old and wish to begin my career in earnest."

Dear Sinara: What should I say when someone says I am overqualified for a job?

Name Withheld, Springfield

Dear Springfieldian: When an employer says you are overqualified for a position, they usually really mean:

"You really are overqualified, and I am wondering what is wrong with you. Why are you applying for a job that is below your level of expertise?"

"We can't afford you."

"If I hire you, you will be gone quickly as this job will bore you."

"I am not going to hire you and this is a complimentary way to get rid of you."

"You must be desperate."

The overqualification line is overused and under-appreciated. Employers bang this drum incessantly and applicants don't take it seriously enough.

If you hear this line too often, you should step back and look at yourself. Why are you applying for jobs that are below you? Candidates often have their own excuse: There aren't any jobs at my level in this community.

Let me get tough with you for a moment: Are you applying for jobs below your level because you are lazy or afraid to apply for higher-level ones? Are you so desperate for income that you will take anything? Do you really understand your worth in the marketplace?

As a recruiter, I often found that an applicant applying for a job that was below their level of expertise was a red flag. It usually meant that the person had been fired or that they had a personality flaw, usually self-esteem issues.

When you hear "overqualified," don't brush it off or think of it as a compliment. You may be hearing a very clear message that you need to raise your sights.

Sinara's sidebar: The next time someone says you are "overqualified," say, "Thank you, but I am not sure what that means."

Hopefully, they will tell you!