Resume Tips
January 23, 2008
Expert Resume TipsÂ
- Be accurate and truthful. A resume should not be embellished or exaggerated-it’s not an exercise in writing a novel. If there’s anything that is not correct or is misstated, it could be a reason for not hiring you.
- Take two pages for your resume if necessary. Once you have four or five years of experience, it often becomes very difficult to squeeze it all onto one page. Most applicants should avoid three page resumes. Resume Tip for Recent College Graduates: Stick to one page.
- Use bullets with concise descriptions. Most resumes that use paragraphs aren’t looked at, so it’s best to use bullets, and keep them to a maximum of two lines a piece.
- In most cases, list experience before education. If you’re a seasoned executive, it’s best to list your work experience first. Resume Tip for Recent College Graduates: Put education up top.
- Mind your keywords! Keywords are vital. We cannot overemphasize the importance of including terms to help get your resume picked up through online searches. We’re seeing more and more systems ranking people’s resumes based on how many keywords are being matched. … More people are putting more words on their resumes because they understand that tracking systems are keyword-driven.
- List your contact information, particularly your cell phone number and e-mail address. Don’t list your current work phone number. We don’t think a potential employer would be impressed that you’re using company resources to find a job.
- Use consistent formatting. Use the same size and type of font throughout your resume, such as 12-point Times New Roman. Offsetting your name in a slightly larger font is acceptable. If you cut and paste from various versions of your resume, be sure to align the text and eliminate formatting glitches.
- Remember to double check your spelling. We suggests printing your resume, reading it and proofreading it to catch spelling and grammatical problems. It’s fine to use an automated spell-check. But be wary of such systems introducing errors.
- Bling on resumes is bad. Steer clear of using lots of large fonts in different colors, and of underscoring and bolding text for extra emphasis. Excessive use of bells and whistles distracts the reader and makes your resume look unprofessional.
- No headshots, please. Pictures and resumes are like oil and water. If you have the urge, don’t give in.
Can’t think of anything to write down about what you do in your job?
ANSWER 20 OR 30 OF THESE QUESTIONS.
We guarantee that you will come up with some new ideas about your job responsibilities and skills.
- What experience, skills, aptitudes, or traits do you have, or think you might have, that could be of some use to some employer?
- What skills have you developed, at least to some degree, that you have never used at work?
- Do others, at work or elsewhere, come to you for any particular kind of help? What kind?
- Do you have military experience (include Coast Guard and Merchant Marine)? Branch, grade, specialty? Active duty, reserves, National Guard? Discharge? Duties? Accomplishments? Medals, citations, commendations? Promotions ahead of schedule? You can treat military experience as general background, or list each position as an employer in the Resume Questionnaire. Don’t forget, military training can be particularly useful in private industry if it is relevant to your objective.
- Have you ever published an article, report, or anything, even as a volunteer, even in your company professional association newsletter?
- Have you ever given a talk, speech, or presentation, or provided training to anyone at work or elsewhere? Give the specifics.
- Computer literacy and related skills: What platforms can you use (PC, Apple, Unix, etc.)? Which ones are you most comfortable with? What operating systems are you familiar with (DOS; Windows; Unix; Apple; other)? If you program, which languages do you know, and what is your level of ability or experience? What programs, or kinds of programs, have you designed or helped design or debug? What Internet research tools are you familiar with? What programs are you familiar with (word processors; spread sheets; data bases; groupware or PIM’s, such as Lotus Notes, Groupwise, Ecco; graphics, desk-top publishing, etc.); office suites (Suite; Microsoft Office; Word Perfect Office); LAN or WAN system software? (If you know the latest version, mention it, as in “Photoshop CS ” If you’re not familiar with the latest version, give only program’s name.)
- What foreign languages do you know at least somewhat, and what is your level of skill in each? (i.e. native speaker; fluent; moderate; phrase-book; write easily for professional purposes.)
- What planning or analytical tools are you familiar with (e.g. critical path, PERT, quality function deployment, etc.) ?
- What experience have you had as a manager of or participant in TQM? CQI? Business process reengineering (which version: general structure/function analysis or computer systems analysis)?
- Do you have any special travel experience, domestic or foreign? If you studied, lived, or worked in a foreign country, how long were you there? Did you live in an American enclave?
Responsibilities, Activities:
- How many people did you supervise? Orient? Hire? Train?
- How large a budget did you manage?
- To whom did you report ?
- What was the highest level in the company that you reported to or communicated with directly?
- Did you coordinate anything?
- Serve as liaison between groups or key individuals?
- Mediate between groups or individuals? Resolve any conflicts? Serve as mentor to anyone?
- Did you do, or participate in, strategic planning?
- Did you set or evaluate or participate in the setting or evaluation of policy?
- Did you evaluate any individual or group performance, or any task or project research?
- How did you relate to the product or service?
- Did you communicate with customers? How?
- Were you on any proposal teams, in-house or with a customer or subcontractor? Did the proposal succeed?
- What was your function on the team, or your contribution to winning? Your team’s percentage of wins?
- Did you communicate with suppliers or subcontractors? How?
- Did you purchase services or supplies for the office, unit, department?
- Ever serve as a troubleshooter? In what area?
- Did you back up someone? Who?
- Did you do any surveys or other research or studies? Determine requirements?
- Prepare recommendations?
- Design or manage any processes, systems, or projects?
- Organize any events, conferences, meetings? How many?
- Did you administer anything?
- Consult for anyone, inside or outside the organization?
- Did you gain experience in any special use software?
- What kind of writing did you do, for yourself or someone else (e-mail, correspondence, memos, reports, concept papers, plans, proposals, office newsletter, etc.)? What did you write about? Did you write anything that was delivered to a customer as a product, or part of one?
Achievements, Accomplishments:
- How much reduction in costs or increase in profits did you contribute to?
- What did you do?
- Did you add any smoothness, quality, or economy of operation that noticeably improved the way things were before you assumed responsibility?
- Any concrete or specific signs of the gain you achieved?
- Did you propose, suggest, or initiate any programs, changes, or improvements that were implemented at least partly because of your initiative?
- What positive results occurred?
- What did you do as a volunteer, beyond the regular duties of your position?
- Whether you were paid for it or not, what were you particularly good at that made a difference in how the office (job, project, assignment) progressed from day to day?
Awards, Recognition:
- Were you praised, recognized, or given a pat on the back for anything a particular assignment, a method of working, a trait of character? How? By whom?
- Were you promoted ahead of schedule?
- Selected for any special responsibilities or programs?
We hope you found this article helpful. When you are ready to take the next step in your career, start a new career, or are simply looking to supplement your income, we can help. Take the first step and register with us today.Â