General Overview
Your resume is a blueprint of your life upon which you will be harshly judged by prospective employers. Although there are many acceptable resume formats, deciding on the best format for your skills and experience is your most important first step.If you have an inconsistent work history with frequent periods of unemployment and a short life-span at many jobs, you should consider a funtional resume format. A functional resume focuses on your skills, or a combination of your skills and education while drawing attention away from your spotty work history. Alternatively, if you have a great deal of experience, but not a great deal of education or a diverse skill set, you should consider a chronological resume format. This format focuses on your individual periods of employment and emphasizes your experience and longevity with a history of employers.
In our opinion, the ideal resume is a hybrid of functional and chronological elements seamlessly integrated to demonstrate all your best attributes while drawing attention away from weaknesses.
Resume Quick Tips:
Your resume must be grammatically perfect.- Your resume must not contain any spelling errors.
- Do not exaggerate your accomplishments or experience, but also don't be modest.
- Present yourself in the best light possible by focusing on the positive.
- Your resume should not look cluttered, it should be pleasant to look at.
- If you list a reference, be sure to speak with your reference first to get their permission.
- Try your best to limit your resume to one page. Do not exceed two pages.
- Every word in your resume must be meaningful, essential and carefully chosen.
- Give the dates of your employment history.
- Do not make the print too small or too big.
- Do not use fancy fonts, colors or too much underlining, bolding or italics.
- Present your best attribute first!
- Create your resume in Microsoft Word 2003 or Save As Word 2003 compatible.
Nearly all employers have this software and many businesses still have not converted to Word 2007.
- Make your name big at the top.
- Use an email address which sounds professional.
- Use active rather than passive voice.
- Do not use the same verb twice unless necessary.
- Use quantifying language to describe your accomplishments. For example: "Increased profits by 12%"
rather than "Increased Profits Significantly."
- If you have a college degree, do not list your high school under the Education section.
- Carefully consider whether or not to include an Objective section at the top. It is not always
necessary, especially if you are taking your resume to a job fair.
- If possible, target your resume to a specific job or field. Not all of your experience is applicable
to every job.
- If appropriate, name-drop. Have you worked with/for someone famous or well-known in your field?