Guide to Writing a Resume
A strong resume is one of the most important things you bring with you to a job interview. Your resume is what you will leave with a prospective employer when you leave the job interview. The way your resume looks and what it says about you can have a positive or negative impact on whether you are considered for the position you seek. Here are some tips and strategies to help you write a strong resume.
Other People Are Reading
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Resume Design Basics
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You want a resume that stands out from the crowd, but there's a fine line between eye-catching and outright gaudy. Avoid flashy neon colors or printing your resume on colored paper. Avoid fancy fonts that are hard to read. Your name and contact information should be at the top of the resume in a readable font such as Times, Courier or Georgia. Your name and contact information should be set at a larger point size than the body of your resume. Try 12-point for the body text and 14-point for the heading and your contact information. Use bold or underline for the various headings in your resume. Always print your resume on good-quality paper. An off-white textured paper higher than the standard 20-pound typing paper bond works best.
Personal Information and Education History
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Be careful what you include in the personal information section of your resume. If it doesn't in some way apply to the job position you're applying for, leave the information out. Personal contacts can be listed, but it's better to write "upon request" in the personal references section.
In addition to your primary schooling, include any further education you have had relating to the position you seek. Do not include dance lessons unless the job you're applying for involves dancing. Don't make the employer look hard to see that you have the skills he's looking for by making him wade through skills that don't apply.
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Job History
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Make your job history look good. If you've gone through several jobs, downplay that as much as possible. Don't list a lot of jobs because you think the more work experience you have, the more likely it is you will get the job you're looking for. Focus on jobs you've done that will be beneficial to the position you're applying for. Don't include any jobs you've had if you aren't sure your supervisor there will give you a good reference. If it's essential you include a specific job and you feel the reference may not be good, explain briefly to your prospective employer the circumstances surrounding the situation, but not on the resume itself. Address the issue verbally.
Always have all of the relevant job contact information on hand and put it in your resume. Be sure not to leave any gaps in time that can't be explained.
Use Power Words and Active Voice
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Present your resume using strong words and concise, active sentences. "Accounts receivable was managed by me as well as the employee payroll" should read "Managed accounts receivable and employee payroll." Words such as "directed," "managed" and "supervised" sound strong and important. Use them, and others like them, throughout your resume.
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