Resume Tips
Your resume says who you are; it’s your “foot in the door” and first (and sometimes only) opportunity to get in front of a Hiring Manager so it is absolutely crucial that it create the right impression.
Most resumes have less than a minute to grab the Employer’s attention, therefore it is essential that your resume is tight, concise, to the point; highlighting the most important aspect of your experience as it relates to the job you are applying for. It is important that each and every resume sent out to a potential Employer be custom tailored to the specific Job Position.
Lastly, nothing says “do not hire” like a misspelled word or a grammar error in a resume. Check, check and recheck to make sure there are no spelling errors.
Today there are many opinions on the correct way to write a resume, however the following rules apply to a majority of resume styles.
Resume Length:
Unless you are just out of school or have held only one job in your life; design your resume to fit into two or three pages. Keeping a resume to one page makes it too difficult to read; whereas with 2-3 pages you can keep approximately an inch of white space on all sides and a font size of no smaller than 10 points. (One page resumes typically suffice for recent grads while more than a 2-3 page resume may be appropriate for those who have a long list of contract jobs or projects or those who need extra space to list numerous publications and/or credentials).
Contact Information:
Make it easy for an Employer to contact you either by phone, mail or e-mail. Delete all other personal information, such as age or marital status here or anywhere else on your resume.
Objective or Title:
Not recommended. Using an Objective or Title may limit your chances of obtaining an interview; however in a few rare cases an Objective or Title is recommended only if it can be tailored to precisely fit the Objective of the Job Description.
Summary Statement:
This is optional and if used, should only be 2-3 sentences long. First, include your title and years of experience. Second, list special skills. Third, talk about your character traits or work style.
Work or Professional Experience:
List each position held in reverse chronological order, going back at least ten years, but no more than 15-20. If you have held multiple positions within the same company list all of them.
Within the body of each position bullet the description of your responsibilities; abbreviate whenever possible. Keep the number of bulleted items to 8-12. Don’t use “fluff” terms and do not write in first person. (Do not use “I did”).
Include tangible and measurable accomplishments if appropriate; using percentages wherever possible:
- Increased profits
- Increased revenue
- Increased efficiencies
- Increased sales
- Increased productivity
- Cut costs
- Cut overhead
Education, Professional Training, Affiliations, Computer Skills:
Include Educational information post High School only. Do not include GPA. Indicate course work only if applicable. Do not include graduation dates if previous to 15-20 years ago.
Include Professional Training, Affiliations and Computer Skills only if relevant to Job Description.
Do not include any Personal Information: Hobbies, Age, Social Activities, Marital Status, Number of Children or Special Interests including Charities. (Charities MAY be considered relevant and included only if pertinent to the Job Description).
When printing and mailing out your resume; it is recommended to avoid using difficult to read type, an overly complicated lay-out or design (including a resume with multiple columns), colored paper or any ornate or fancy stock. Do not include photos of any kind, unless previously requested to do so.