Resume-Writing Tips

How to Prepare an Effective Resume

Sources: JobWeb.com, 2004; the Rockport Institute, 2004.

1. Resume Essentials

      Before you write, take time to do a self-assessment on paper. Outline your skills and abilities as well as your work experience and extracurricular activities. This will make it easier to prepare a thorough resume. Resumes must contain all the basic information listed below.

2. The Content of Your Resume

Name, address, telephone, e-mail address, web site address

All your contact information should go at the top of your resume.

Avoid nicknames.
Use a permanent address. Use your parents' address, a friend's address, or the address you plan to use after graduation.
Use a permanent telephone number and include the area code.
If you have an answering machine, record a neutral greeting.
Add your e-mail address. Many employers will find it useful. (Note: Choose an e-mail address that sounds professional.)
Include your web site address only if the web page reflects your professional ambitions.

Objective or Summary (optional)

     An objective tells potential employers the sort of work you're hoping to do.
Be specific about the job you want. For example: To obtain an entry-level position within a financial institution requiring strong analytical and organizational skills.
Tailor your objective to each employer you target/every job you seek.

Education

     New graduates without a lot of work experience should list their educational information first. Your most recent educational information is listed first.
Include your degree (A.S., B.S., B.A., etc.), major, institution attended, minor/concentration.
Add your grade point average (GPA) if it is higher than 3.0.
Mention academic honors.

Work Experience

     Briefly give the employer an overview of work that has taught you skills. Use action words to describe your job duties. Include your work experience in reverse chronological order—that is, put your last job first and work backward to your first, relevant job. Include:

Title of position,
Name of organization
Location of work (town, state)
Dates of employment
Describe your work responsibilities with emphasis on specific skills and achievements.
Other information
A staff member at your career services office can advise you on other information to add to your resume. You may want to add:
Key or special skills or competencies,
Leadership experience in volunteer organizations,
Participation in sports.

     Ask people if they are willing to serve as references before you give their names to a potential employer.

     Do not include your reference information on your resume. You may note at the bottom of your resume: "References furnished on request."

3. Resume Checkup

     You've written your resume. It's time to have it reviewed and critiqued by a career counselor. You can also take the following steps to ensure quality:

Content:

     Run a spell check on your computer before anyone sees your resume.
     Get a friend (an English major would do nicely) to do a grammar review.
     Ask another friend to proofread. The more people who see your resume, the more likely      that misspelled words and awkward phrases will be seen (and corrected).

Design:

These tips will make your resume easier to read and/or scan into an employer's data base.

      Use white or off-white paper.
      Use 8-1/2- x 11-inch paper.
      Print on one side of the paper.
      Use a font size of 12 to 14 points.
      Do not use line or borders
      Do not use bold print, italics, or underlining
      Use Large and clear typestyle
      Leave large margins all the way around the resume
      Be sure to center your name, address and phone at the top.
      Choose one typeface and stick to it.
      Avoid italics, script, and underlined words.
      Do not use horizontal or vertical lines, graphics, or shading.
      Do not fold or staple your resume.
      If you must mail your resume, put it in a large envelope.

      The quality of the resume is likely to be poor, if the above criteria were not followed precisely. Many resumes, once scanned, are impossible to read.

4. Action Words

      Use power or action words to describe your experience and accomplishments. For every skill, accomplishment, or job described, use the most active impressive verb you can think of (which is also accurate). Begin the sentence with this verb, except when you must vary the sentence structure to avoid repetitious writing. Examples of action words you can use:

ability        corrected     granted       performance 
accelerated    counseled     guided        performed 
accomplished   counted       halved        persuaded 
achieved       created       handled       persuaded 
acquired       critiqued     helped        planned 
adapted        cultivated    hired         positive 
addressed      cut           identified    potential 
administered   dealt         implemented   prepared 
administered   decided       improved      presented 
advised        defined       incorporated  prevented 
allocated      delegated     increased     processed 
analyzed       delivered     increasing    procured 
answered       demonstrated  indexed       produced 
anticipated    described     influenced    productive 
appeared       designed      informed      proficient 
applied        determined    initiated     profitable 
appointed      developed     innovated     programmed 
appraised      developing    inspected     prohibited 
approved       devised       installed     projected 
arranged       diagnosed     instituted    promoted 
assembled      directed      instructed    proposed 
assessed       discovered    insured       proven 
assigned       discussed     interpreted   provided 
assisted       distributed   interviewed   publicized 
assumed        documented    introduced    published 
assured        doubled       invented      purchased 
audited        drafted       invested      purchased