Resume Quick Tips
Getting Started - How to market your skills to match what the employer wants:
- Begin by reviewing the job description.
- Take note of all skills and qualifications you have that match what the employer is seeking.
- Notice what type of language is used in the job description and within the industry you are applying for—use this language in your resume.
- Consider within the layout of your resume how you can market the skills and qualifications you have that the employer is seeking.
- List the most related experiences toward the top of your resume.
- Choose categories for your experiences that use the industries language.
- Beware, you should never lie on your resume - if you do not possess the skill set desired by an employer, you should not market something you do not have.
General Tips
- Limit your resume to one page.
- Always include your current address, phone number and email address.
- Do not use a resume template.
- Remember to always give specific examples of accomplishments, skills and results.
- Start sentences and phrases with action verbs followed by descriptive words.
- Communicate your abilities and personal qualities that pertain to the job.
- Focus on the employers needs, not your own.
- Be concise, simple and to the point.
- Eliminate the use of "I".
- Proofread carefully for typos, spelling and grammatical errors.
- Make sure verb tense is correct.
- Use simple/plain fonts (i.e., Times New Roman or Arial)
- Use traditional bullets (i.e., circle or square). Nothing fancy or decorative.
- Use traditional fonts sized 10-12.
- Use 1" margins on all sides.
- Give it a professional appearance - use resume quality paper, light colors are best.
- Always send your resume with a cover letter.
Header/Contact Information
- Use a traditional, centered heading.
- Don't forget your email address.
- Add your cell phone number, if desired.
- Bold and use a slightly bigger font for your name.
- Make your objective specific and focused on the employer and the specific job.
- Communicate your career goals and objectives in just 1-2 sentences.
- Use this area to state that you are "Willing to Relocate".
- Make sure the content in your resume relates to the objective.
Objective Examples
Seeking a management position utilizing my strong organizational skills, educational background and customer service focus.
To firmly establish myself in a challenging position with a growth-oriented company that will ultimately lead to a position in the field. Willing to Relocate.
To obtain a challenging opportunity in the areas of Fundraising, Customer Service, or Sales.
To obtain an entry-level position in publishing in the areas of promotions, advertising, design, and editing.
A position in data analysis where skills in mathematics, computer programming and deductive reasoning will contribute to new systems development.
A position as a General Sales Representative with a pharmaceutical firm which will use chemistry background and ability to work on a self-directed basis in managing a market territory. Willing to travel and relocate.
Education
- Start with your most recent degree and go back in time.
- Bold your degree, not the school attended.
- Add your graduation date (month & year) even if you have not graduated yet.
- Add your degree (Bachelor of Science in Business) and Major (Accounting).
- Add your minor or concentration if desired.
- GPA is optional. Most employers like to see it and will probably ask at some point. Do not add a GPA if it is lower than 2.8.
- Do not list your high school.
Work Experience
- Use reverse-chronological order (most recent jobs first).
- Include full time, part time, volunteer, military experience, student teaching, graduate assistant positions.
- Generally, you need only go back approximately 10-15 years of work experience.
- Identify job title, name of employer, location (city & state) and dates of employment.
- Include job responsibilities. Use phrases with action verbs and transferable skills.
- Ask yourself "What did I accomplish in this position?" and "How does that relate to my objective?"
- Give specific examples of things you accomplished.
- Research buzz words the company uses to describe their ideal candidate. Think about how your work experience has taught you these skills. Then, use those words in your resume.
Skills
- Add technical skills as well as foreign language and communication skills.
- Mention only skills with which you are strongly familiar.
Activities
- List professional organizations or clubs closely related to your major or career field.
- List all organizations in which you had an active duty to show leadership skills.
- Explain what your duties were in any office you held.
- Consider adding any volunteer work that may add transferable skills to your resume.
e-Friendly Tips
- Use 10-12 point font size.
- Create one-inch margins.
- Keep resume free of vertical and horizontal lines, graphics, italics and columns.
- For some downloadable resumes or to copy and paste into applications, you may need to left justify your entire resume. So keep a version of that as well.