Personal Development

Resumes come in all forms and sizes.  I have seen thousands of resumes from people in more industries than I can count.  And from all of the resumes I have seen, I have found out this one important thing…There is no single prescribed resume format.

There are common ways to write a resume using one of the 3 main styles (chronological, functional or combination).  I will go through the 3 types of resume in more detail in later posts.  But for now, I wanted to walk through some basics in deciding how to write a resume. 

One thing you have to know off the bat is that you will have to put in some work.  It’s not as easy as you think.  If you have seen a good resume, chances are you have seen the result of multiple tries and dozens of eyes having to look at that one resume.  The fact is, you must expect to write and edit several drafts of your resume. A good resume requires attention to detail.  Detail meaning paying close attention to style, organization and layout. Remember that the purpose of your resume is to be positive and show effective communication. It must be well organized, attractive and easy to read.

Resume Style 

The writing style should be clear, direct and concise. Don’t use indirect statements or puffy language. What I mean by puffy is that a resume that is too wordy or too long will not be read. Use short statements that say exactly what you want them to say and what you want the employer to know about your background. A one-page resume is strongly recommended unless you have extensive, related work experience. Include only information that is directly related to the position you are seeking. Avoid including personal information that would give off a negative response to your application.

Expand on your relevant experiences that are parallel to what the job description is asking for. Condense jobs or experiences that are not directly related. In other words, make your resume to the type of job you are seeking. You will not have one resume for all jobs, you will have many resumes for the many jobs you will be applying for.  You may need more than one resume if you’re applying for different types of jobs. The more you fine tune your resume to a specific job or career area, the more qualified you will appear.

 Functional Resume

When writing your resume consider the best arrangement of your topics and headings as they relate to the job for which you are applying. Rank order your resume components as they relate to the job, and place the most important items first. In this way you can highlight your strongest qualifications.

People don’t read resumes, they skim them. Think of your resume as a piece of advertising rather than a comprehensive data sheet.

I can’t emphasize this enough!  You want to capture the attention of the reader within a few seconds, otherwise, your resume is heading for the trash.  Remember, looks are important. Design an attractive layout. Typeface size, spacing, margins, headings and the relationship of empty space to text can all work to your advantage or disadvantage. An attractive resume format will catch the employer’s attention and receive a more careful reading.

The Perfect Resume

It is imperative that no typographical errors, punctuation errors, misspellings, smudges, blotches, or any other imperfections appear on your resume. You must have a perfect copy.  And lastly, you don’t need fancy paper to create an impression, but nice quality paper with high cotton content does go a long way.

Career Counseling How To Write A Resume Tip: “Have atleast 7 different people look at your resume before submitting it to the employer.”