How To Write a Great Resume
There is no one way, but here are some basics…
First off, there is no single way to do a great resume. This blog reflects what I and the bulk of my clients prefer. I’m in the tech world, within which nerdy details matter. It’s possible that less specifics are needed in your discipline. This is also assuming you’re doing a typical resume — there are a lot of visual/video interview options out there too.
Overview
Most people that are reading your resumes are also probably reading a jillion other resumes. A great succinct summary will make their lives much easier. Never fabricate information on a resume. However, rearrange and highlight information relevant to a company or position so it’s easy for the person to spot without having to look too hard. I’m personally a big fan of the bullet — it’s so much easier to digest bulleted information, versus big blocks of text.
Resume Basics
How Long
• 1 Page — fresh college grad
• 1–2 Pages — 1–10 years
• 3–10+ years
• Unless you’re a contractor, I would keep it to 3-page maximum (you can always do a core resume, and then a Project Addendum).
What should it include and in what order?
• Front and Center:
• Contact Info — City/State, Email, Phone, LinkedIn Bio Link
• Summary — this should be about 5 bullets which encapsulate your experience, personal brand, achievements and passions.
• Mix ‘n Match: these sections can be juggled around to highlight the best of you. If you have a degree from an Ivy League, you probably want that up top. If you have worked at a company with huge clout, then Experience should be at the head of the class. You get the drift.
• Discipline Summary — if appropriate, something like a Tech Summary
• Education
• Work Experience
• Volunteer Experience
How should you format it?
• No single rule. If you are a Designer or in some other creative field, look up samples, and have fun (then PDF the resume, since the formatting might get messed up en route).
• In general, I prefer resumes with bulleted information, versus huge blocks of text. They are easier to digest. I am a big fan of chronological resumes — it lets people see not only what you have done, but where and when.
Here’s some DOs and DON’Ts and Pitfalls to Avoid:
Resume DOs
● Best Foot Forward — put your best stuff front and center
● Use formatting and bullets to make the resume easy to read — avoid big blocks of text
● Use a professional email address
● If you want, include personal interests unless they are controversial
Resume DON’Ts
● Typos & Grammatical Errors
● Photos
● Objective
● Personal Info (Age, Marital Status)
● Religious, Political or other non-professional/opinion-y stuff
● “References on Request” (that’s assumed)
Most Common Mistakes
• Sounds the same, but … It’s, Its; There, They’re, Their, Two, Too, To; Affect, Effect; Compliment, Complement; You’re, Your; “A lot” NOT “Alot”
• Mixed tenses
• Some bullets with periods, some without
• Inconsistent formatting
• Use of words that don’t exist, such as imputted or irregardless
• Words that will pass spell check, but are incorrect (from/form)
Still stuck?
● There are many resume building templates and sites online. Ask The Google.
● Hire a career coach that can help you to package yourself in the resume.
Hopefully these tips will help you pull together a perfect representation of your experience in black and white (or color, if you’re a designer)!
Related posts you may want to check out:
· Creating a Great LinkedIn Profile
· Creating Your Personal Brand
