Write an Eye-Catching Resume – Whatever You Do Don’t
Do…
- Have a trusted friend (or two or three) proofread.
- Use active verbs to describe your experience and skills.
- List items from most important to least.
- Be concise. Eliminate things that are not relevant.
- Laser print on plain white paper.
- Try, whenever possible, to tailor to a job description
Don’t…
- Sell yourself short.
- Bother stating “references available upon request.” That is assumed. Have a separate sheet available with that information to give if it is requested.
- Use underlining, bolding, italics excessively.
Write an Eye-Catching Resume – Final Checklist
Content
- Name is at top and highlighted by bolding or larger size type; address and phone number information are correct and complete.
- Each entry demonstrates a skill or accomplishment. These are consistent with the job requirements.
- Descriptions use active verbs and verb tense is consistent (can use past tense for everything to avoid confusion, even present job.)
- Repetition is minimal.
- There are no spelling mistakes or typos.
- Has been proofread by yourself and at least one other person.
Organization
- Hold the paper at arm’s length. Is the page too busy? Is there too much “white space” anywhere? Are there areas that are too crowded? Is information easy to find?
- Best assets are listed first.
- Dates of employment are easy to find and the format is consistent.
Format
- It looks like a published document and is visually pleasing.
- It can be easily scanned. · There is no blurring, marks, or faint letters.
- Fonts are conservative; bolding, underlining and other effects are kept at a minimum.
