Resume Tips

In thinking about what to write about this evening, I felt the need to let my "career coach" out.  Today I taught a workshop on creating an attention grabbing Resume in today's job market and was inspired to create a basic list of Do's and Don'ts to help people as they create their resume . . . . hope that you find them helpful in having a successful job search campaign!

DO

·         Ensure your resume looks, feels, and sounds like YOU on paper

·         Make sure your resume is PLEASING to the eye

·         1”margins on all 4 sides

·         Choose one font for entire document (including header and footer)

·         12 point font for Body

·         14 – 16 point font for NAME

·         Line spacing 1.15

·         Turn your contact information into a header so that it appears on every page

·         Customize your resume for each specific job

·         Focus on the employer’s needs and how you meet them

·         Create a professional e-mail address using your name

·         Highlight the position title you are applying for below your name

·         Give just enough information to grab the employer’s attention and make them feel like they have to meet you face-to-face to get the rest of the story

·         Triple Check for accuracy

·         Start with a Summary paragraph explaining why you are the right person for the job

·         Include Key Skills in the top 1/3 of your resume

·         Create between 3 and 6 bullets to describe each position in your work history

·         Start each bullet with a VERB to show you are action oriented

·         Keep all bullets in the same tense

·         Customize bullets to highlight skills employers are seeking

Quantify bullets to show measurable accomplishments


DON'T

·         Make your font or margins too small

·         SQUEEZE your resume onto a page

·         Use a generic resume

·         Have an unprofessional e-mail address

·         Include References or state that they are “Available upon Request”

·         Get someone else to write your resume or use a canned program to create your resume

·         Use an Objective statement

·         Give too much information

·         Over bulletize

·         Make references to politics, religion, race, gender, etc.

·         Include outdated or irrelevant skills

·         Have ERRORS – typo, spelling, grammar

·         Include your address if you live too far away

·         Use 1^st person – I, me, my, mine

·         Apply for jobs you aren’t qualified for

·         Use paragraphs

·         Use “Entry-level”

Include bullet points that sound like a job description