Resume Tips and Guidelines

Have other people proofread your resume before submitting it to a potential employer.

Having a powerful resume can significantly improve your chances of getting a job. Employers often have several resumes to sift through, so making yours stand out is vital. A resume is an advertisement of your pertinent abilities, skills and strengths. Take time to prepare, organize and present your resume's content, focus, style, tone, wording and layout. Once you have finished your resume, edit it thoroughly and update it often.

Basic Content

Your resume needs to be tailored to the specific job for which you are applying, so prioritize your content and only include the essential information. The basic content of a resume is your current contact information, a clear employment objective, relevant work experience in chronological order, pertinent community and volunteer experience in chronological order, education, awards and certificates, along with two or three references. An interests and hobbies section is optional and should definitely not be included if it crowds information or if it means including an extra page to fit it in. If it is included, it is listed just before the references. Explain gaps in your work experience such as paternity leaves, hiatuses to write a book or long trips by putting them in the same format as your work experience in chronological order. Include only the last 10 to 15 years of work experience. Describe each previous job in only one or two sentences.

Style

Above all, your resume needs to be professional. The information should be accurate, specific, concise and relevant. Avoid including personal or controversial information. Maintain a positive and enthusiastic tone. Do not use humor and clichés. Stay focused on the job you want and emphasize your skills.

Wording

Choose the best words to say what you need to say. Avoid wordiness and repetition of overused words and phrases. Do not use abbreviations. Use powerful verbs, positive self-descriptors and vocabulary consistent with the job for which you are applying. Analyze the job description to find key words and utilize these words in your resume. Use headings that are recognizable to the employer and appropriate to the job you want. Incorporate numbers when possible to show successful results in your work experience. Numbers are eye-catching and sum up information quickly and clearly.

Format

The layout should be neat, clean, consistent and attractive. Aim for a one- or two-page resume. Design the layout so that section headers grab the reader's attention. Do not use fancy fonts that will confuse the reader and disrupt the crispness of your presentation. Use spaces between sections in order to draw the reader's eye to the most important information and not crowd the page. Print on good quality white paper.

Grammar

Grammar and spelling need to be impeccable. Edit thoroughly so that there are no errors. Be consisten in verb tenses, format, style, focus and tone. Do not submit it to your prospective employer until you are sure it is error-free.

References

• Rockport Institute: How to Write a Masterpiece of a Resume
• #1 Writing Resume Service: 10 Tips to Bullet Proof Your Resume
• Green River Community College: Resume Writing Guidelines

Resources

• The Damn Good Resume: Hot Tips on Resume Writing
• Professional Resumes: Resume Tips