21 TIPS
TO HELP YOU ROCK THAT RESUME!
YOUR RESUME IS YOURS AND YOURS ALONE. BE PROUD OF YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
RESUMES SHOULD BE 2 PAGES – unless you have recently graduated. Keeping it to one page no longer applies since all resumes are read online.
The reader is most likely reading your resume online, so no need to put your name as a header on the second page.
Three pages is acceptable, where you’ve changed jobs a lot or have done many different things.
USE BULLET POINTS instead of full sentences. DON’T USE PERIODS AT THE END OF EACH LINE.
List what you did chronologically—recruiters want to see the trajectory of your career.
Stick to the facts and don’t include flowery adjectives or too much explanation.
CHECK YOUR SPELLING, GRAMMAR, PUNCTUATION AND TENSES. Have someone else proof your resume. Recruiters have told me they have passed on a potentially good candidate because of misspelled words.
All bullet points for previous jobs should be past tense.
Don’t use default fonts such as Arial or Times New Roman. TRY CALIBRI OR HELVETICA. These are both very readable.
Don’t make the point size too small. Your name should be a larger point size than the rest of your resume.
DON’T USE YOUR MIDDLE NAME OR INITIAL, unless this is how people know you or there are others with your exact name. You don’t want to unintentionally appear to be pretentious but rather accessible and friendly.
And never refer to yourself in the first person on your resume. Begin each bullet point with a verb.
NEVER PUT YOUR HOME ADDRESS at the top of your resume for security reasons. Since resumes are now posted on LinkedIn and other online sites, nobody needs to know where you live.
Just put the city/state at the top. Your zip code is not necessary.
LOOK OUT FOR GAPS or years in between your various jobs with nothing listed. There should be a nice flow to your job history.
Gaps can be perceived as a red flag, so be prepared to discuss them during the interview process.
8
USE KEY WORDS AT THE TOP OF YOUR RESUME, which describe your most sellable attributes.
A long summary or paragraph at the top with glowing adjectives about yourself is not nearly as effective.
This enables your key words to match key words in the job description which assists recruiters with their search.
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DON’T ATTACH YOUR PHOTO to your resume, unless you’re an actor.
But recruiters do want to know what you look like—so they will be checking out your social media.
HAVE A GOOD PROFESSIONAL/CASUAL-LOOKING PICTURE (not a headshot) of yourself on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.
DON’T GO BACK MORE THAN 10 YEARS. You want to show your job history and advancement but be careful not to be redundant or use the same words describing your work experience.
For those with additional years of experience—add a section called PREVIOUS PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE. List the name of the company, your title, and 1 or 2 bullet points. Do not list the years.
If you’ve been with the same Company but were promoted to other positions within the same general area, then ‘STACK’ YOUR TITLES AND LIST THE VARIOUS RESPONSIBILITIES.
Show the different years next to each title. This shows you were recognized with promotions over the years. 12
If you are consulting— NAME YOUR COMPANY. It looks more professional. And include your clients and a bullet point/description of what you are doing for them.
If you are just launching your company, describe what you will be doing in a couple bullet points.
When starting your own company, GET A NEW EMAIL WITH THE COMPANY URL.
After you graduate, start using a professional email right away and not your college email address.
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Include a section called AFFILIATIONS and list any organizations that you are a member of.
Indicate years and if you are on any Boards or holding an executive position(s).
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Include a section called SPECIAL SKILLS and list, for example, proficiencies with other languages, specific software programs or social media platforms.
List any certifications next to the bullet point.
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Include a section called AWARDS & ACHIEVEMENTS.
Awards: List the actual name of the award or honor, the organization or publication and the year you received it. Do not go back more than 8 years.
Achievements: include, for example, speaking engagements, a book or article you wrote, film you produced or any philanthropic involvement.
In the EDUCATION section, list the year you graduated unless you are uncomfortable with it. Skilled recruiters are going to figure out your approximate age anyway, based on your job experience.
List what you majored in and any academic distinctions (like Phi Beta Kappa or Dean’s List).
If you didn’t graduate, list the college or university without the year.
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The last thing on your resume should be: REFERENCES AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST. This ensures recruiters aren’t missing any pages when they print out your resume.
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DO NOT LIST ACTUAL REFERENCES on the resume itself. Have them on a separate page. Don’t jump the gun—wait until you are asked.
Provide 6 names. Companies prefer 4 references and this gives you a couple extras in case someone doesn’t respond.
Include name, title, company, how you know them, work or cell and an email. Include both current and past jobs. Don’t include friends or relatives.
DO NOT INCLUDE A PERSONAL SECTION. No need to list hobbies, special interests or travel. This can be covered conversationally in the actual interview
not on your resume
When you send out your resume, SEND AS A PDF ATTACHMENT (not in Word or Pages). This ensures the spacing stays intact going from a Mac to a PC (or vice versa).
When you send the PDF, minimize it to 75% so when the recruiter opens your resume, it is not huge on the screen.
