Resume Development

Your resume is the first impression that a prospective employer has of you. It should grab their attention and identify you as a priority candidate.

As you develop your resume, use the following guidelines:

1. It should be in chronological in order, with your most recent position listed first.
2. You should show career progression as well as increased responsibility as you describe each of your positions.
3. RESULTS/RESULTS/RESULTS! Employers are interested in what results you generated in your past jobs. What was your sales increase, percent to plan achievement, commitment to deadlines? Did your reduce company expenses? If so, by how much? What have you accomplished that sets you apart from others with similar backgrounds? Do not spend much time describing the job, describe the result and the impact to your employer. Resist the temptation to talk about your skills. Demonstrate your skills via results in your resume.
4. Remove company buzzwords that only have meaning to your current employer. But, use industry buzz words that demonstrate your knowledge of your industry.
5. If you have been in the workforce for more than five years, it is acceptable to have more than a one-page resume. Do not comprise length and leave out the important experience and results.
6. If you are a published author and/or public speaker, list those accomplishments on a separate attachment so as not to overwhelm the reader.
7. Include professional organizations and certifications.
8. List action words and words that demonstrate scope of responsibility(developed, implemented, launched etc).
9. Use short sentences or bullet points versus long descriptions.
10. Make sure your resume is easily readable; use white space so your resume can be reviewed quickly.
11. Be prepared to modify your resume for a specific opportunity so that you can provide more detail than you would in a general resume.
12. Do not include your social security number, birth date, personal interests, or family information.
13. Include current contact information, including an email address and phone number at which you want to be contacted.
14. Show your resume to a trusted colleague for relevant feedback.
15. If you have worked for companies that are not commonly known (i.e. a start-up) provide a one-line description about the technology and contributions.
16. Click here for additional industry articles regarding resume development.

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