Ten Keys to a Dynamite Resume

To help you construct a better, more powerful resume, here are ten tips for your resume’s content and presentation:

1. Position title and job description
Provide your title plus a detailed explanation of your duties and accomplishments. Since job titles are often misleading or their function may vary from one company to another, your resume should tell the reader exactly what you’ve done.

2. Clarity of dates and place
Document your work history and educational credentials accurately. Don’t leave the reader guessing where and when you were employed, or when you earned your degree. Most employers do detailed background checks, so to avoid confusion… be accurate with dates.

3. Explicitness
Let the reader know the nature, size and location of your past employers, and a brief description of their business.

4. Detail
Specify some of the more technical, or involved aspects of your past work or training, especially if you’ve performed tasks of complexity.

5. Proportion
Give appropriate attention to jobs or educational credentials according to their length, or importance to the reader. For example, if you wish to be considered for an engineering position, don’t write one paragraph describing your current engineering job, followed by three paragraphs about your summer job as a lifeguard.

6. Relevancy
Confine your information to that which is job-related or clearly demonstrates a pattern of success. Concentrate only on subject matter that addresses the needs of the employer. Know your audience.

7. Length
If you are a mid-career professional you don’t need to limit your resume to one page. Standard mid-career resumes are two to four pages. Only limit yourself to one page if you’re a rookie.

8. Spelling, grammar, and punctuation
It sounds basic… but you might be surprised how some resumes look. Create an error-free document that’s representative of a detail oriented professional. If you’re unsure about the correctness of your writing (or if English is your second language), consult a professional writer or editor.

9. Readability
Organize your thoughts in a clear, concise manner. No resume ever won a Nobel Prize for literature; however, a fragmented or long-winded resume will virtually assure you of a place at the back of the line.

10. Professional Document
Don’t get too fancy with colors or unique fonts or graphics. Be sure to select a conventional type style and size, such as Times Roman or Arial, and choose a neutral background or stationery. Please... no graphics, and definitely no animation.