How to Write a Killer Resume (and get that Interview)

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Resume paper
Resume envelopes
Education information
Work experience
Professional organizations
Related accomplishments of note

Step 1

CONTACT INFORMATION
This is just what it sounds like. Located at the very top of your resume (usually centered) this is your name, address, phone number and e-mail. You might want to use your formal name, but if you do, remember to be consistent throughout all of your correspondence. E-mails, which at one time may have seemed inappropriate as a contact method, are now more universally accepted as most companies take job applications online. Many of us have multiple e-mail accounts. If you do include your e-mail on your resume or application, make sure it's appropriate. (For example, avoid using bigsexy89@hotmail.com). (I've participated on interview committees, and it happens more than you think.)
Step 2

SUMMARY STATEMENT
Avoid this. This hinders your efforts to keep your resume to one page. Only someone with many years of experience needs to have a multi-page resume, and even those shouldn't use a summary, that's what cover letters are for.
Step 3

Light on experience? List your education info first.

EDUCATION
If you are a recent graduate, your educational information should be listed first. List your school name, city, and state. (e.g.; William & Mary, Williamsburg, Va.) On a different line, list your degree and year you earned it. (e.g.; Bachelor of Arts, Biology, June 1997) If you made the Dean's list or were involved in organizations that are related to the job you are applying for, list them under Education. Avoid superfluous items that have little to do with the position you are applying for. This will most likely vary from job to job.

Include any internship information here as well. This is key to demonstrating how you took initiative and have real-world experience in an office setting. For those who graduated a while back, your experience will be the most important item on your resume. List your educational information last, and skip the extra curriculars, except honors such as Dean's list.
Step 4

Who do you want in your corner?

REFERENCES
It's not uncommon for a company to ask for references. References are people who know you well and can tell a prospective employer about your strengths, job skills and personality. References should be limited to three (unless more are asked for) and be a separate document from the resume. For those without a lot of job experience, guidance counselors, teachers, professors, or even a friend of the family might be possible candidates.

Think of references as your "professional cheerleaders." Who would you want sitting down with a perspective boss and chatting about you? Avoid friends and family; it's unprofessional.

Remember, your references represent you, and could hold your future employment in their hands. Choose wisely.
Step 5

Play it right and land that interview.

EXPERIENCE
Time to shine -- list your main responsibilities, starting with your major job functions and moving down through your lesser duties. Tailor your information to the job you are applying for. Resume readers are scanning...and may only pay attention to the first few bullets.

When you are composing your resume, use past tense. You are talking about the things you have already accomplished such as school, or past employment. (e.g.; Supervised the Graphics team on a variety of projects including a monthly newsletter)

It's a good idea to use bullets to separate items and use lots of white space. You want to make your resume as easy to read as possible. Avoid font sizes any smaller than 10 point (black type only!). Times New Roman is safe, but use your best judgment. Your resume isn't the place to make a personal style statement. You can do that in the interview. Ask someone older to read a draft of your resume...is it easy to read? Most Human Resource managers see a pile of resumes every day, and let's face it, they've seen it all. It will pay off to make their job easier.
Step 6

How does your resume stack up?

MATERIALS
Imagine that pile of resumes on the Human Resources manager's desk. How does yours look?

This may seem obvious, but do not use bright-colored paper. Stick to white, ivory or off-white, or light grey. When in doubt, go with white paper. When it comes to resumes, it's better to blend in for the right reasons than to stand out for the wrong reasons.

You can find quality paper at reasonable prices at office supply stores. The paper should be thicker than normal copy paper, but not stiff like card stock. Buy matching envelopes in the same paper; this adds a nice touch, and may make you stand out (in a good way). Avoid any special designs or frills. Keep it simple.
Step 7

SIMPLICITY
When in doubt, keep it simple, keep it professional. On paper, you want to offer the information in an easy-to-read format, in a business-like manner. The time to really shine and show your personality comes later -- at your interview. Good luck!