MTWorld.com - Create a Winning Resume

One of the most frequent mistakes that well-meaning job seekers make is to try to cram too much information onto their resumes. This is primarily due to a common misconception about the appropriate role of the resume. Too many people expect the resume to do all of the selling for them. They reason that if they can just provide enough good information the employer will have no choice but to hire them. For fear of leaving something out, the resume quickly becomes an awkward leviathan.

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In fact, the resume has a singular purpose - to generate a job interview. Therefore, it must be constructed with that end in mind. There will be plenty of time to sell yourself during the interview process.

Consider the following guidelines in building or refining your own resume:

Keep your resume brief

You should shoot for a single page resume. A simple one-page summary that can be quickly and easily absorbed will be very powerful marketing tool. If this is not possible, then you should make every effort to limit it to 1 1/2 - 2 pages. If your resume is longer that this and you are struggling to reduce its size, get one or more objective opinions. If you want to be taken seriously you will need to take the time to streamline your resume by eliminating words and simplifying sentences.

Keep your resume uncluttered

A busy resume can be a real turn off for busy executives. Many employers will simply not take the time to wade through a bulky and cumbersome resume. In this context, an overload of "noteworthy achievements" can actually work against you. One of the keys to a visually appealing resume is to leave plenty of white space. This will require creativity in the development of meaningful descriptions and pinpoint precision in the word selection process.

Use simple and readable fonts and formats

Simple fonts such as Helvetica, Arial, or Times New Roman work best for resumes. As a general rule you should avoid mixing fonts within a resume. A font size of 11 or 12 will make the resume more readable. A size 10 font is also acceptable, but anything smaller than this will typically prove difficult to read. Don't make the mistake of using a small font in order to squeeze in information that does not add value.

You should also avoid using fancy fonts, colored paper or gimmicky formats. These will be distracting and are generally regarded as unprofessional.

Make your resume concise and to the point

It is critical that you choose your words carefully. Think about what information you want to convey and then state it as concisely as possible. Avoid the temptation to include superfluous and irrelevant details. Stick to the essentials. A verbose resume is a tedious resume. Take a look at the action words at the end of this section to stimulate creativity.

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Design a high impact resume

I was once advised by a prominent human resources executive, that if a resume does not capture his attention in the first 10 seconds of review, it will be discarded. Because of the sheer volume of resumes that human resources personnel process each day, they begin the screening process by conducting a very high level visual review.

If there is not something near the top of the page that suggests that your resume is worthy of more detailed scrutiny, it will likely be passed over. This suggests two courses of action:

Make sure that the most vital and relevant information is at or near the top of the page.
Make sure that important information is prominent, compelling, and easily absorbed upon cursory review.

Make sure your resume is technically correct and factually accurate

A well-written resume must flow well and be free of grammar and spelling errors. You should have the resume proof-read by a qualified 3rd party before going to press. Take a moment to review your dates and facts to ensure consistency throughout the resume. And above all, use the spell check!

While there is nothing wrong with putting the best spin on your qualifications and experience, you should refrain from including information that is misleading or inaccurate. Providing falsified information to get a job is a poor strategy that will prove costly in the long run.

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