- Start with an attractive layout
It’s best to go with a simple, classic layout but use bullet points, italics and bold fonts to emphasize key points. To stand out from the pack, you could make your name much larger than the body of your resume. You can get a bit more creative. But, generally speaking going with the standard layout is the way to go.
- Keep the layout standard
Don’t center the text or do anything that makes it hard to follow. The idea is to make an employer want to read your resume and not spend time trying to figure it out.
- Never send out a resume without a cover letter
This is the general rule of thumb. Don’t send a generic letter. Get the name of the person who is in charge of hiring for that position. At the very least, address the cover letter to the Human Resources Manager
- Keep details consistent
Don’t list September 2006 and then another date as 2/06. It looks careless.
- Don’t use an unprofessional email address
If your email address is [email protected], you may want to set up a different email account for professional use only. You can do this for free on yahoo.com, google.com, or hotmail.com. This takes just a few minutes and is well worth it. Most employers expect to see an email address on a resume. Make sure you include one along with the best number to reach you (preferably a cell phone number).
- Follow grammatical rules
This should not be left to chance. The fastest way to get your resume in the garbage heap is to use bad grammar.
- Stick to traditional fonts
Go with Arial, Times New Roman, Verdana, Georgia to be on the safe side. You don’t want to get experimental when it comes to your resume. Avoid graphics or anything distracting that can prevent your resume from being taken seriously.
- Use action verbs to emphasize your responsibilities
It’s recommended that sentences start with a powerful action verb like: created, established, organized, implemented, etc. Start each sentence with a powerful verb.
- List only the year that you obtained your degree not dates of attendance
When you list your dates of attendance, many résumé scanning systems will not recognize that you obtained a degree, only that you attended college for a period.
- Review a printed version of your resume over and over again. Check spelling and grammar to make sure there are no errors.
