Forum

When you haven’t updated your resume in a while, it can be hard to know where to start. What experiences and accomplishments should you include for the jobs you’ve got your eye on? What new resume rules and trends should you be following? And seriously, one page or two?

Well, search no more: We’ve compiled the best resume advice out there into one place. Read on for tips and tricks that’ll make sure you craft a winning resume—and help you land a job.

      1. What is a resume anyway?

          REMEMBER: A Resume is a self-promotional document that presents you in the best possible light, for the purpose of getting invited to a job interview.

          It’s an official personnel document. It’s not a job application. It’s not a “career obituary”! And it’s not a confessional.

      2. Most common resume mistake made by job hunters

          Leaving out their Job Objective! If you don’t show a sense of direction, employees won’t be interested. Having a clearly stated goal doesn’t have to confine you if it’s stated well.

      3. First step in writing a resume

          Decide one job objective that can be stated in about 5 to 6 words. Anything beyond that is probably “mess” and indicates a lack of clarity and direction.

      4. Headings….Never underestimate them

          With employers receiving hundreds of resumes you must make sure that your resume hooks an employer’s attention within a 5-           second glance. A great way to this is to use job titles and skill headings that relate to and match the jobs you want.

          Before Resume:                                                    After Resume:

          Accounting /Recordkeeping                               Management of A/R and A/P Accounts

      5. Formatting

Use a basic but modern font, like Helvetica, Arial, or Century Gothic. And make your resume easy on hiring managers’ eyes by using a font size between 10 and 12.

• You can use a different font for your name, your resume headers, and the companies for which you’ve worked, but keep it simple and keep it consistent. 
• Don't include photos or other distracting visuals. A recent study showed that "such visual elements reduced recruiters analytical capability and hampered decision-making" and kept them from "locating the most relevant information, like skills and experience".
• Use Bullet Points No employer will have the time (or patience) to read long paragraphs of text. Make sure, therefore, to use bullet points and short sentences to describe your experiences, educational background and professional objectives.       

      6. Work Experience

• As a rule, you should only show the most recent 10-15 years of your career history and only include the experience relevant to       the positions to which you are applying.
• No matter how long you’ve been in a job, or how much you’ve accomplished there, you shouldn’t have more than 6-7 bullets in a given section. 
• Look at each bullet point and make sure it’s understandable to the average person. Remember that the first person who sees your resume might be a recruiter, an assistant, or even a high-level executive—and you want to be sure that it is readable, relevant, and interesting to all of them.
• Take each statement one step further and add in what the benefit was to your boss or your company. By doing this, you clearly communicate not only what you’re capable of, but also the direct benefit the employer will receive by hiring you.
• People hire performers, so no matter what, you want to present yourself as a high performer. You can easily do this by using phrases like, “Invited to…” or “Recognized for…” or “Promoted to…” or “Known for… .”

      7. Education

• Unless you’re a recent graduate, put your education after experience. Chances are, your last 1-2 jobs are more important and relevant to you getting the job than where you went to college is.

      8. One or Two Pages

          The ideal length for a resume is a polemic subject. Most employers and recruiting specialists, however, say that it should contain one or two pages at maximum. Just keep in mind that, provided all the necessary information is there, the shorter your resume, the better.