The purpose of a resume is to market yourself on paper.
This is your opportunity to sell yourself! It should serve as the
"advertisement" that entices the "buyer" (the hiring official) to examine
and evaluate the product (you).
Don't hesitate to get assistance. There are many free resources, such as
your local library, the Internet, state employment agency, and staffing and
placement services such as ours.
Your resume should include only information related to your career goals.
Remember, the purpose of the resume is to display your qualifications and
what you have to offer in order to get an interview. The interview is the
time to get all the details out.
Here are some tips to writing an exceptional resume – one that will catch
the attention of prospective employers.
Format: Construct your resume in a clear, concise format.
- Condense your resume to one page, two at the very most.
- Set your margins at approximately 1 to 1.5 inches.
- Avoid small or very large print – use a font size between 10 and 12
point.
- Use a single, conservative font such as Times New Roman or Arial.
- Keep your type size consistent. Use bold lettering and italics
sparingly, so they do not lose their impact.
- Include your name, address, phone number, cell phone number, and
email address at the top of your resume. If you are planning to move in
the near future, state this in your cover letter and include alternate
contact information.
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Content
Begin your resume by defining what you have to offer.
Make a strong start by summarizing your skills. This approach provides some
opening sizzle and explains what you have to offer the employer, rather than
what the employer can do for you.
List your work history or professional experience.
Starting with your current or most recent position, list your job experience
chronologically. Take every opportunity to emphasize your skills and
accomplishments. This is your time to shine!
Summarize your education at the end of the resume.
- List your highest degree first, followed by lesser degrees,
certifications, and relevant coursework.
- List any honors you received or honor societies you belong to.
- If you currently belong to any professional organizations, include
these at the end of your resume, but only if they are relevant and
enhance your profile. If you held a position in any of these
organizations, include the position title.
- It is not appropriate to include hobbies, personal information, and
political or religious affiliations.
- It is unnecessary to offer "references upon request" as it is
obvious that if you want the job, you will supply them.
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Printing / Presentation
How you present yourself, both verbally and visually, is important when
interviewing face-to-face with your prospective employer.
- Print your resume on white or off-white paper.
- Make sure that the paper you are using is clean, crisp, and without
blemishes. The resume represents you – and you wouldn’t show up to the
interview in wrinkled, soiled clothing!
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Proofing: Don’t forget to check the
spelling and grammar of your resume!
- Run spell check on the document before you print.
- Ask at least one qualified individual to read your finished product
as an objective critique. They should look at the overall content and
search for typos and grammatical problems.
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Tips for Emailed Resumes
Sending your resume via the Internet is convenient, both for you and the
recipient. However, there are a few tips you should follow so your resume
looks as good when it’s received as it did when you created it.
File Type:
Microsoft Word is the preferred file type for resumes transmitted via email.
MS Word is widely used and will most likely be readable by the recipient. If
you are using a recent version of MS Word, it’s to your benefit to save it
to a older version, as your recipient may not have undergone a recent
software upgrade.
Font:
As a general rule in resume formatting, classic fonts such as Times New
Roman and Arial are universal on PCs. Use of designer fonts such as
Broadway, Mistral, and Stencil will run the risk of not being available on
the recipient’s computer and will likely be substituted, which may disrupt
formatting. Therefore, if emailing your resume as an attachment, use of
Times New Roman or Arial will best ensure that your resume will look as you
intended when read by the recipient.
Use of Bullets:
Use of bullets is a simple way to present your information in a clean,
easy-to-read format versus a large block of text. This is especially true
when detailing your past work experience. Choose the round bullet, as it’s
universal to most PCs as opposed to designer fonts such as check marks,
arrows, or stars.
Other Considerations:
Do not use tables and graphs as part of your resume. Separate sections with
white space versus dashes, dots, or tildes (~~~).
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Other Resume Tips:
Be Concise
Keep your resume as concise and brief as possible. One page is preferable.
Job Objectives
Present your job objective in a manner that relates to the company and
position you are applying for.
Tailor Your Resume
Tailor your resume to fit the position, allowing the most space for work
experience that is most relevant to the position you are applying for.
Lists are Easy to Read
Include a concise, factual, and positive listing of your education,
employment history, and accomplishments.
Work History
When describing your work history, summarize the technologies (hardware,
languages, databases, etc.) you have used and how you have used them.
Start With Your Strongest Points
Begin with your strongest statements when describing your accomplishments.
Significant Contributions
Include significant contributions you have made at each one of your jobs.
Job Continuity is Important
Be conscious of continuity in your history. Employers look for gaps in work
history, especially if they are unaccounted for.
Simple is Best
Remember to keep it simple!
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