Resume Do's Write brief phrases. Full sentences not necessary Start with first draft. Expect to do several revisions Begin with a summary statement that describes the functional areas of your work Use present tense in describing current job. All previous positions are described in past tense Support all activities and accomplishments with results and accomplishments Describe specific responsibilities Summarize early employment by briefly describing your functions at the end of the resume Pick resume format and be consistent. Dates appear on the right side of the page Write out all numerals up to and including the number "nine". Use the numerical form from 10 -999,999 Lay out resume so that a job description or a sentence on the first page does not run over to the second Proof read final product for correct spelling, punctuation, grammatical, and typological errors. Have independent, "critical" person proof read for errors you may have missed Omit information or dates that may be used to screen you out Resume Do Nots Do not use italics, dashes, or underlining to emphasize items and make them stand out. They confuse scanners and electronic mail attachments Do not use abbreviations. Use professional and technical information when it is relevant Do not use odd-sized, bordered, or colored paper- any thing that may be considered eccentric Do not include your picture with your resume Do not list references, reserve them for interview or follow up activities Do not include personal data, marital status, number of children, or "excellent health" Do not devote more space to earlier jobs that more recent employment. Employers are interested in most recent, relevant experience Do not list grade point average or college honors unless you are a recent grad Do not leave gaps between employment dates. List jobs by year rather than by month and year. Briefly state a good reason for the gap, e.g. returned to school full time, worked on temporary jobs, or left career for family responsibilities Visit my site. |
