Tips on How to Write a Winning Resume

Sad but true...if you don't have a well written and formatted resume, chances are you are missing out on many job opportunities as your resume may disqualify you from being considered or given a chance to interview. As recruiters, we see our fair share of not so hot or impressive resumes. It is truly amazing how even the most educated or polished person can put together a poorly written and laid out resume. Here are some tips that we suggest as guidelines to ensure your resume is up to par and will get the attention of recruiters and also hiring authorities to land you that next job.

Tips on Content:

• Keep it relevant to the job you apply for - it is more than okay to have a few versions of your resume that cater to the types of positions you are targeting in your job search.
• Use chronological format for career in the same industry. Start with most current job as that will be most relevant and of the most interest to anyone that is reviewing your resume.
• Show progression of career and highlight promotions - this is your first impression - sell your accomplishments that make you stand out from the crowd!
• For short tenure or frequent moves provide reasons for leaving.
• Avoid gaps in time line. If you have gaps, explain or be prepared to explain them away.
• Do not provide a lot of detail on positions that go more than ten years back
• Cover entire length of career, do not omit “Early History”
• Describe companies and industries - don't assume that everyone knows who or what the company you have listed on your resume manufactured.
• For sales careers, mention specific customer groups and key customers
• Use action words that suggest activity
• Focus on achievements and quantify them whenever possible
• Avoid repeating the same functions
• Stay in the same tense
• “Personal” section – only include relevant information
• Education and training at the end
• Have someone else read it and provide feedback
• Include professional associations and memberships
• Spell and grammar check!! Nothing worse than having an abundance of typos throughout your resume...after all this is the first impression you are making to the company you are applying for.

Tips on Appearance, Format & Layout:

• Length of resume not to exceed two pages, three pages for senior executives
• Maintain a lot of white space – should be easy to read
• Use plain fonts, not smaller than 10 even uf you are a graphic artist, your resume is not really the time to show off your artistic computer abilities - keep it simple and professional!
• Do not include graphics
• Use organization – break down in sections
• Include a “Summary” section –this allows you to explain your entire history in one statement rather than leaving it up to someone else’s interpretation
• Include an “Objective” when it is concise and consistent with the job you are applying for
• Use bullet points rather than narrative