ALT-1 Top Ten Resume Tips
A good resume can make or break your opportunity for an interview for a desired position. Resumes do not get you jobs. They get you interviews. Unless the company that you are applying to is interviewing every warm body that applies, you need a strong resume to get the chance to sell yourself to the company in person. Most good advice for resume writing has not changed much in the last few years. Following some basic guidelines will help your resume to be competitive and make it out of the pile for a good look.
Put the most important material on the first page
Managers often screen resumes by scanning the first page to see if it merits a closer look. If your resume only has one page, this is not a concern. As job experience builds, many job seekers find that one page is not enough to adequately cover their experience. Make sure that skills and accomplishments are prominently displayed on the first page.
Only list references that you are certain will give you a good one
It is best not to guess. Ask the individuals listed as references on your resume what type of reference that they will give you. You need their permission before listing them as a reference anyway. So, go the next step and ask for an honest appraisal. If you are uncertain about a reference, leave it off. It is better to have no references on the resume than to have a weak or bad one.
Avoid using too much jargon unless it exactly matches what is being asked for
Some initials and buzz words are more specific to a company than an industry. What you think is showing off your knowledge could just be confusing to a potential employer. Be clear and write in language everyone should understand.
Leave out jobs that were short enough to be covered up
You do not have to list every job that you ever had on your resume. If you had a job that was a bad fit from the first day, leave it off of your resume if it lasted less than six months. You may even want to stretch that to a one year on the resume, but it may need to show up on an application.
List skills learned in school only if there is no job experience in that area
Once you are more than five years out of school, educational experience can be out of date and not relevant to your position. Job experience counts much heavier on a resume. Try not to lean on school experience unless it is recent
Do not lie about things that are strong job requirements
Your resume should be completely honest. If you are tempted to lie, stay away from the specific job skills that are needed. This lie will be discovered immediately after you are hired. It will not be good for your career advancement. So, tell the truth.
Use good quality paper but avoid strong colors
People like their resume to stand out. Using strong colors can make it stand out, but it can also make it hard to read. Some employers will view this as an effort to make a weak resume or job candidate get an advantage that is not deserved. Let your resume stand on its content as much as possible. Using a good quality paper will enhance your resume because it will say that this job is important enough to you for you to spend extra to try and get it.
Make sure that your name, address, and phone number is easy to locate
You do not need to make your name take up half of the page, but it should be prominent. The same is true for all of the information that is needed to contact you. Try not to make employers work to find out how to call you for that important interview.
Deliver your resume in person so that it stays flat and unfolded
If you have to mail your resume, fold it as few times as possible. Keeping it flat is better. It will lay nicer on the stack and be easier for the manager to store and review. A hand delivered resume is always a step ahead of a mailed one when it is practical.
Include a thoughtful carefully written cover letter that customizes your resume to the specific company and position
Many people fail to attach a cover letter to a resume. A well written letter can lift a weak resume. It makes it look like you actually want to work for this company and not just any company. A lot less effort is required to just pass out resumes than to customize each one for the prospective employer.
Consider using a professional resume writer only if your own writing skills are exceptionally weak
Some job seekers think that using a professional resume service is a way to get a high quality resume. While these companies do a good job, most managers can spot a professionally written resume. They know that the document may represent your abilities, but it does not represent your way of expressing them.
