Is there something wrong with your resume? Chances are your existing resume is acceptable, although not the best that it could be. Here are some quick tips on things you should do to strengthen your presentation, and some things to avoid.

Resume Do’s – Substance

• Include a Summary Statement rather than a resume objective. This should be a short narrative of 3-5 sentences describing your key strengths and experience.

Resume Do’s – Style

• Vary the font used in your resume to create some contrast between sections. Some bold and italics work well provided they are not overdone.
• Make sure your font is readable. Arial or Times New Roman are preferred.
• Avoid tables in your formatting. They do not always open correctly.
• Leave plenty of white space to ensure that your document is easy on the eyes. Small margins and cluttered text will not be well received by the person screening your resume.

Resume Don’ts

• Your resume is not your job description. Don’t be tempted to use your current job description in writing your resume. Think accomplishments rather than what your daily responsibilities are.
• Resume objectives are limiting. Avoid them.
• Don’t write your resume in the first person. “I” should not appear in your document.
• Make sure your contact information is professional. Your email address and voice mail message should be employer worthy. Your 2 year old on your voice mail is not professional. Likewise, “putterbill at anydomain.com” is not appropriate.
• Avoid expressing dates in months/year. This format highlights any gaps in your record. Since your resume is used to screen you out, not in, you want to avoid this level of detail. You will have an opportunity to address any gaps in your employment record when you’re interviewed, assuming you’re asked!
• Don’t list every organization you’ve ever belonged to. Avoid listing political and religious organizations. You don’t want to be screened out because an interviewer is biased.
• Don’t include a picture.An employer is not permitted to ask you any questions related to race, religion, age, ethnicity, etc. Including a photo can be problematic for the employer. It might be easier for the employer to have a policy that eliminates all resumes that contain a photo.
• Don’t include personal information – marital status, children, height, weight. Again, these are things an employer should not know.
• Don’t list your references on your resume. There are better ways to handle this important part of the hiring process.
  Take stock of your resume and make changes as needed. You can’t get the job if you can’t get the interview! Use these tips to put your best foot forward, and more importantly, avoid costly mistakes. Your resume only gets a 15-20 second review before the screener decides if you are a potential fit with their requirements. Make the best of it!

Author: Cindy McGeever

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1. Digital Resume – Writing a Plain Text Resume
2. Resume formats – Choosing the correct format for your resume
3. How to Deal With a Gap in Employment on Your Resume

Assembling the following information about you in advance will make it easier to complete applications:

Identification

Be prepared to give your name, address, phone number, and social security number. You may also need to bring proof of identification when you pick up and drop off the application.

Employment history. List the month and year you started and ended each job; your supervisor’s name, address, and phone number; your job title, location, salary, and major duties; and your reason for leaving.

Education and certification

Know the name and city of the schools you attended and the year you received your degrees and the name, level, and award and renewal dates of certification.

Special skills

List any special skills you have that are closely related to the job, 1such as computer applications, typing speed, or equipment operation.

References

Provide the names, phone numbers, and addresses of three or four people who have agreed to recommend you. When you pick up an application, don’t miss an opportunity to make a good first impression. Dress as you would for the job. Politely request two copies of the form, or make your own copies of the original before you start filling it out. Read the entire application before you begin.

Then, use one copy as a rough draft and the other as the final product. Use a typewriter or write neatly with black ink. Answer every question on the application. Write “not applicable” or “none” if a question does not apply to you. Some reviewers suggest answering “will discuss in interview” if asked for information that might disqualify you. Make a copy of your completed application. If you go back for an interview, take this record with you. Having a completed form will also make it easier to fill out the next one.

Although forms do not offer the same flexibility as a resume, you can still find ways to highlight your best qualifications. For example, you can use strong action verbs to describe your duties. If you do not have paid experience, you can give job titles to your volunteer work or list relevant academic experience, substituting student for job titles.

Computer application forms

If you are filling out an application for a computer database, you will want to use keywords and simple formatting no boldface or bullets.

Put the most important information first. Include as much information as you can for each question without becoming wordy or repetitive.

The more relevant details you provide, the better your chances of using a keyword that matches an employer’s requirements. Before submitting the form, copy and paste your answers into a word-processing program so you can check the spelling.

Related posts:

1. Applying for a Job – Back to basics
2. Resume formats – Choosing the correct format for your resume
3. How to write a resume

Sure ‘successfully achieved’ works pretty well but at the end of the day there are only so many times you can successfully achieve something and you want to avoid your CV from sounding to repetitive.

When detailing each of your achievements within your Resume, make sure that you prefix each achievement with a strong ‘doing word’.

You’re the person who was responsible for the achievement after all so make sure you take full credit for each of these achievements within your CV by throwing a nice descriptive verb at the beginning of each of your main achievements.

Here’s a list of descriptive action verbs for you to include within your Resume:

Related posts:

1. Gaps in your employment and how to explain them
2. Resume formats – Choosing the correct format for your resume
3. Digital Resume – Writing a Plain Text Resume