1. Action Words:
Use action verbs and adjectives to show the kind of person you are, the skills you possess, and your demonstration of those skills.
2. Format:
- 1 page, unless extensive education and/or experience (10+ years) warrants more
- Bullets with short sentences help reader scan quickly without missing the important points
- Font should be a standard easy-to-read font (serif or sans serif) and no smaller than 10 point
- Underline and bold face add emphasis to credentials
3. Scannable:
Chances are good that your resume will be searched using scan technology. The computer is looking for a match of keywords related to the position. Be as specific as possible in job, skill, and accomplishment descriptions. *Another reason tailored resumes are better than generic.*
4. Personal Impact:
- Show both completion of tasks and contribution of work. Use dollar totals, numbers, and percentages to stand out.
General: Operations manager for oil and gas firm
Better: Managed 100 field personnel for projects grossing $15MM annually
- Use PAR: Problem-Action-Results
General: Responsible for implementing and maintaining organization of warehouse
Better: Transformed disorganized, inefficient warehouse into a smooth-running operation by completely redesigning the layout, saving the company $250,000 in recovered inventory
5. References:
Have at least 3 professional references listed separately to be provided if/when requested. Employers assume that “references are available upon request,” and this phrase may be omitted from your resume.
References: http://www.mit.edu/~career/guide/resumes.html; http://www.resume-help.org/resume_writing_tips.htm; http://jobstar.org/tools/resume/yana24.php
