Tips For Writing the Ultimate Resume

Last night I was fortunate to be able to present a webcast to students at Cardean University & Ellis College on the topic of resume writing. Based, in part, on my presentation, and based in part in the questions that the students asked last night I thought I would write a list of 10 tips for writing a great resume. This is not an exclusive list but it will get you started in the right direction if you need to write or update your resume.

1. Remember that your resume tells a story - think of it like a product brochure for the product "You, Inc."

2. Organize the document in a way that it is easy to navigate. Put company names, your titles for each job, and dates in the same location for each job so that a casual reader can easily see where you have been and what you have been doing during your career.

3. Include a little bit (a couple of sentences) to describe each employer for whom you have worked. By doing this, you don't have to wonder if recruiters will have heard of that great start-up you worked for two years ago. Include ticker symbols and, if available, web addresses.

4. Focus on your accomplishments. Use bullets to emphasize your accomplishments in each job you have held. The best accomplishments are those that are quantifiable but any will do. Your accomplishments are what will get you hired.

5. Include some (but not a lot of) background about each job you have held. For your accomplishments to mean anything you need to include a short overview of your job duties when describing each job you have held. Put the background in paragraph form and include information like size of budget you managed, how many people reported to you, and a couple of sentences that describe what you were responsible for doing all day.

6. Include information about volunteer or civic organizations with which you are affiliated. Board memberships and leadership roles are always good to mention. Include dates of your involvement too.

7. Include, but be selective about, your technical skills. Generally, you don't need to mention that you are "proficient with Microsoft Word" because it is generally assumed that anyone hired into a professional environment these days knows the basics of the Microsoft Office suite. However, if you are a JAVA programmer or are an expert in a specialized software relevant to your field such as SAP or JD Edwards make sure to include that.

8. Include separate sections for for notable accomplishments such as patents that you hold, awards, media appearances, publications, or books you have written. Big accomplishments deserve their own sections.

9. You don't have to include an "Objective" or "Summary" section at the top of your resume and if you do make sure it says something meaningful. Generic language that says something about your desire to work for "an industry leader" is meaningless and just takes up space on the page that you could be using to describe what a star you are in your field.

10. Proofread!! Use Spellcheck, check for grammar, punctuation, and readability. Grammatical and spelling errors will probably disqualify you from any job immediately. If the resume is hard to navigate or difficult to understand, a recruiter or hiring manager may just skip your resume in favor of one that is easier to read.

If you follow those 10 tips you will be on your way to having a resume that will help you to land the job of your dreams!