Writing a resume isn’t easy, but you’ll know this if you’ve tried writing one for yourself or someone else. There are some critical tips for writing a resume that you should know before you begin. One of the most important things is knowing what information to include, primarily your career goal and qualifications, and what to leave out. Next, you need to deal with the structure of your resume to make it personal and try to present yourself in the best possible light so that your prospective employer will notice. It can be difficult, but you can easily create a winning resume if you put your heart into it. The following resume writing tips will help you land that all-important interview:
1. Never reference your personal websites.
It will be a mistake to include any reference to your personal websites. If you want to show your prospective employer great samples of your graphic design work posted on the site, do so only if your website contains purely work-related material. Many enthusiastic applicants inadvertently refer to their personal websites despite the presence of irrelevant or inappropriate information. Employers find it a waste of time to flip through their many publications just to get to the entry you want them to read or see.
Make it a rule not to include your personal website if you have posted jokes, clean or not, and images that might be considered unexpected. You don’t want your prospective employer to read your blog and learn the details of your emotional roller coaster ride. So if your website has something that is too personal, don’t even mention it on your resume.
It’s a different story if your website serves as your online portfolio to showcase your talents. Of course, provide the link to your website that contains a copy of your updated resume, letters of reference, previous presentations you’ve made, professional photos you’ve taken, or the landing pages of websites you’ve created.
2. Use the correct font size.
Aside from content and writing style, the hard part of making a resume is formatting it to fit on a single page. The general rule of thumb to keep a resume to two pages maximum has become quite a challenge for many job seekers, especially those who have changed jobs several times and therefore need to list their past experiences. Then there is one’s career goal statement, a summary of educational background and other qualifications, as well as the list of references. Think about how you can fit all of that into just one or two pages.
Don’t reduce the font size just to fit all of your information. The smallest font size you should use should be 10 points. Remember to use a basic font, nothing fancy. Arial or Times New Roman will be accepted. If you think your content is too long, revise and rewrite your resume using more concise statements.
3. Do not abbreviate the names of schools and employers.
Job applicants often mistakenly list the names of schools attended and previous employers. This includes the use of abbreviations and variations of school and company names. Remember, resumes are formal documents that require a formal style of writing. Therefore, you should only use abbreviations if they are part of the name, like JC Penny, for example. But if you went to the University of California, Los Angeles, don’t write it as UCLA even though it’s widely known as such. Instead, write the full name. If you don’t, it will reflect on you as careless, if not lazy.
4. Keep past experiences short and relevant.
An effective way to list your past or present job responsibilities is by using bullet points. Remember to start your description with action verbs like developed, managed, etc. Full sentences are not required and paragraphs are not necessary. Doing so will only create excess verbiage that will make your resume harder to read. Remember to keep your statements short, clear and to the point.
5. Avoid typos.
You may have remarkable content and an attractive design, but grammatical errors or misspellings will ruin your excellent resume. Make sure to read your resume. You are likely to miss certain mistakes, so run a spell checker and ask friends and family for help. If necessary, consult a career counselor. Do your best to perfect your resume. It may be your first and only chance to impress potential employers.
Take your time to make your resume shine. In today’s highly competitive field of work, the slightest mistake can cost you your job. By following these resume writing tips, you will set yourself apart from the competition.