Resumes

Resume Writing Tips

You need more than a resume to land that perfect job.  A resume is not an end all - but a means to an end.  A well composed resume provides the employer/recruiter with a brief (1-2 page) summary of your experience, education, skills and other relevant qualifications.  A great resume alone won’t land you that perfect job, but will definitely open the door to the decision makers who can further elaborate why you are the right person for the job. So, what does that perfect resume look like?

First and foremost, you will need to gather all the relevant information that goes into the resume – not only contact information and work history, but also what skills you possess that empowered you to carry out your success in these positions efficiently. This is a great time to take a moment and go through a personal self assessment. To refresh your memory of your inner strengths, go through your previous performance reviews (if applicable) or talk with your manager, co-workers, and references and ask for their opinion.

Now, it’s time to put together the information!

First Things First!

Your contact information should always be easily accessible. Most employers and recruiters prefer this information to be right on the top of your resume. The most pertinent of your contact information are your name, phone number and email address. Always provide multiple ways to reach you.

Key things to note here:

• Don’t use nicknames.
• Include the area code for your phone number.
• Keep your greeting brief and professional. Don’t use songs, jokes or anything that would be considered inappropriate.
• Your email address should be one that you access regularly. Like your phone greeting, make sure your email address is professional.

Objective of the Resume

Here is where you state briefly but precisely what it is you are applying for. Remember to tailor your objective to the specific job you are applying for. Proofread - it is never a good thing when a recruiter at XYZ Company reads that your objective is to obtain a management position at ABC Company.

Education

Always start with the information of the most recent educational institution you attended. Be sure to include the degree earned, your major concentration of study, dates of attendance, and name of your institution along with city and state.  If you have earned any academic honors, be sure to include them. Most recruiters recommend that you include your GPA only if it is higher than 3.0. Be sure to list all of this for each institution attended after high school.  Employers are looking for accredited colleges and universities, verifiable through a standard pre-employment background check.

Work Experience

Like the education section, always start with your most recent employer. Under each experience, briefly list your responsibilities and duties. It always helps to emphasize skills and achievements that are being sought in the new position.

Make sure you use action verbs such as: achieved, developed, implemented, organized, negotiated, etc. For each employment experience, make sure you list your title, name of employer (along with City and State) and your employment dates.

Miscellaneous

In this section, you should add relevant information that your new employer might find attractive in a candidate. This is the place for information such as organizations you are a member of (E.g.: NSHMBA, NBMBAA, Inroads, etc). Also include any certifications you have earned (E.g.:  SPHR, CFA). Other pertinent information may also include your involvement with charity or volunteer organizations, leadership training, etc.

References

Most recruiters advise you to list ‘References available upon request’. Of course, before you submit any names to a prospective employer, make sure you have specific permission from the person you have listed.

And Finally...

You are almost done. Now all that is left is the most important part…proofreading.  It cannot be emphasized enough that no matter how great your resume is and how relevant your past experience may be to the job you are seeking, a resume full of errors is a sure fire way to take yourself out of consideration. So, use the spell check function on your computer. Then, have a friend read through your resume - perhaps even a second. The more eyes on the material, the better the chance of any errors being caught (and corrected).
Some other key things to remember:

• Avoid colorful, scented resume papers. Use a professional grade white printer paper.
• Pick a neutral font and use the same font on the entire resume. Most preferred fonts are: Times New Roman or Arial with a font size between 10 and 12.
• Avoid using graphics, designs or shading on your resume (unless you are applying for a graphic arts position).
• Print on only one side and try to keep your resume down to 2 pages. 

Congratulations!

Your resume is complete! You can now submit your resume into our database and join the Cuhire talent network - where our recruiters can access your information and talk to you about a career.