Did you know that Create & Cultivate has an Insiders membership program? There are SO many perks to being a member but one of our most popular is the monthly mentor sessions. These monthly digital videos give members some serious facetime with experts across various fields, and the opportunity to get personalized answers to all of their pressing business and career-oriented questions. Members can register for these informative live streams ahead of time and send their own questions to be answered in real-time.

Recently, professional resume writer and personal branding expert Michele Lando hosted a mentor session for our Insiders to answer all of their burning resume questions. As the founder of Write Styles—a provider for personal branding through curating clients’ resumes and self-confidence while navigating the workforce—Lando is very well-versed in the do’s and don’ts of resume drafting.

Here are three key takeaways from the mentor session to apply to your own resume today:

1. Less is More.

“You don’t want your document to be so over-the-top that someone doesn’t actually focus on the information.” In this portion of the Mentor Session, Michele Lando is referring to the design and layout of your resume. When it comes to color palettes or eye-catching graphics, Lando recommends double-checking that your design enhances the information, rather than taking away from the information. After all, you are promoting your own skills, not your aesthetic eye (unless you are applying for a graphic design position, in which case Lando says there are exceptions).

2. Your side hustle may be worth leaving off.

“Anytime you go to include anything on your resume … make sure it sticks within the focus you’re trying to highlight and the skillset that you’re trying to highlight.” Here, Lando honed in on tweaking your resume based upon the position you are applying for. For example, if your side hustle does not support any skills that could be useful to have for your potential new job, it may be better to just leave it off. Additionally, Lando points out that if you’re applying for a job that requires a large time commitment, it may be smarter to remove your side hustle because people may be concerned you do not have room in your schedule to take on another career.

3. Don’t be afraid to step into a new industry.

“Keep an open mind. When you’re trying to switch industries, I think the first thing to consider is that it’s not all-or-nothing. It is one step at a time.” If you’re trying to transition careers but feel like your lack of experience in that field is leaving you feeling less qualified against other candidates, Lando does not feel that this is a cause for serious concern. Instead, she recommends that you start taking informational classes so that you can display on your resume that you have at least a baseline understanding of what you are wanting to transition into. Also, she suggests using your current job to your advantage in the meantime. See what pockets of your current workspace you have yet to explore, and ask to sit in on projects, take on different roles, and try to explore other opportunities.

Be sure to sign up for our program sooner than later to hear who will lead the next mentor session! For more information on our membership program, check out our FAQs page.