Writing the Perfect Resume

Top Ten Essential Items for a Winning Resume

Apr 23, 2009 Geraldine Eliot

A handy check list and clear advice on resume writing, to ensure your resume has all the right elements to get an interview and make your job application process easier.

Once an applicant has compiled his or her resume, he or she can use this check list to ensure that all the right elements are included and that the resume is professional, concise and easy to read, ensuring success in the job application process.

It is always a good idea to get someone else to check the resume, using this checklist, as this lends a fresh pair of eyes and an outsider’s perspective (and usually helps pick up on any spelling, formatting or grammatical errors).

Ten Essentials for a Winning Resume

On completion of the resume, check that:

1. The resume has an accessible, easy to read layout with plenty of white space and consistent formatting throughout
2. The resume is up to date and includes the applicant’s most recent work or educational experience
3. Clear contact details appear at the top of the page, including name (make sure this stands out), address, phone number and email address
4. There is no personal information such as marital status, health, ID number or citizenship status
5. If there is a Summary of Qualifications at the beginning, it indicated the most relevant skills and accomplishments for the job/position
6. If there is a second page, page numbers are included
7. In the Work Experience section, entries are in reverse chronological order (ie. Most recent to least recent) with position, company name and city included; duties, responsibilities and accomplishments are listed in bullet point form and “action verbs” are used
8. In the Education section, entries are in reverse chronological order; the institution, program and levels completed are clear and any courses listed are particularly relevant or interesting to employers
9. If an Interests/Activities section is included (recommended), these entries should give a positive impression and show interpersonal skills, teamwork and community involvement.
10. There are no complete sentences (uses phrases only), paragraphs or chunks of text, or spelling errors (don’t rely on a spell check program)

Tailor-Making a Resume

Although each person's resume is different, and should reflect his or her personality, by following this check list, the applicant can increase his or her chances of landing an interview. Once the applicant has a strong resume laid out, he or she should focus on using this like a template, tailor-making each resume to the criteria laid out in the ad for each job being applied for. Although it may seem like a lot of work, it shows the employer that the applicant is genuinely interested in the position, and has made an effort and is not just sending out a generic resume.

Once the resume has been perfected, the applicant should ensure that he or she writes a killer cover letter and practices his or her interview skills to land the job.

The copyright of the article Writing the Perfect Resume in Career Advice is owned by Geraldine Eliot. Permission to republish Writing the Perfect Resume in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Create a Winning Resume

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Comments

Apr 23, 2009 10:49 PM

Guest :

Hey Geraldine, this is a really great top ten list, excellent advice especially in this environment. Any advantage you can get, take it, and having a good resume is a must. It's the first impression that hiring manager have of you, you just have to be brief and make a lasting impression that sets you apart from other candidates. You can post this to our site http://www.toptentopten.com/ and then link back to your site. The coolest feature is you can let other people vote on the rankings of your list.

Apr 27, 2009 6:30 PM

Guest :

It's great that there are 10 things that you can really count on in a resume! There are so many that are debatable, some of which are highlighted by the "ifs" in Geraldine's tips. Here are my top 5 "debatables" for the resume: 1. Bullets or no bullets? Or bullets only for highlighted accomplishments?) I have done it both ways depending on the applicant.) 2. Is the Summary of Qualifications section mandatory? (Again, I have worked on successful resumes with and without this section.) 3. Is it okay to have a 2-page resume? (I believe it is if the applicant's job history warrants it; always fill the second page -- you don't want an entire half page of white space!) 4. Does every bullet absolutely have to start with a verb? (I'm a purist on this one and say yes.) 5. Interests section? Or leave discussion of interests for the interview? (I'm a fan of a specific, tangible Interests list that draws interest to the applicant -- the more engaging the better! But not at the expense of a key accomplishment that will be crowded out by the Interests section.)

I would also add one more essential resume tip, though this one might be debatable as well: Don't go overboard on the graphics, and that goes for graphic designers too -- if you're a graphic designer you will be submitting a portfolio. The resume is not the place to get fancy! Keep it crisp and clean.

- Brenda Bernstein, www.theessayexpert.com

2 Comments