Writing The Resume

As you organize your resume, keep in mind the needs of the employer who will be reading it. Consider what s/he is looking for in a candidate and make it easy for the reader to pick out those skills by selecting appropriate categories, using underlining, boldfacing or capitalizing and presenting relevant experience and skill areas higher on the page.

Keep in mind the following suggestions as you begin developing your resume:

1. Sell yourself. Create a good first impression by highlighting skills and abilities appropriate to the position.
2. Use active language. Check out our on-line list of action word to spice up your resume. Articulate marketable skills acquired through your positions. Example: Salesperson, Smith Shoe Store, Portland, Maine. Assisted clients with selection of shoes, developed and promoted special marketing events, trained new employees, monitored cash. Store increased in sales by 7 percent in 6 month period.
3. Be consistent. Choose a pattern of spacing, an order of information presentation or a format of highlighting and be consistent throughout.
4. Present information in reverse chronological order within categories. List education and work experiences starting with the most recent first.
5. Check for grammar. Misspellings and poorly constructed sentences communicate negative impressions about a candidate.
6. Ensure that your resume is neat and visually appealing. Choose high quality paper in white, off-white or other conservative colors. Have the final version professionally reproduced.