Top Ten Tips - Creating A Resume

Top Ten Tips - Creating A Resume

By Tip Diva

Creating a resume is probably the second most painful part of a job search (the actual interview being the first!) But making one doesn’t have to be difficult. Here are some steps to make resume creation easier:

• Find A Template - If you’re not that efficient with a word processor, find a template online to help you. ResumeTemplates.org has ones separated by job title, or you can even find some within your word processor’s template files.
• Know Your Length - Know how long your resume can go. Most industries prefer one-page resumes, but more creative industries may allow two pages. Ask a guidance counselor, ask someone in the field or Google to find the correct resume length. And stick to this length - no more, no less.
• Include Your Contact Information - If you don’t include your contact information, how is the employer going to contact you? Resumes without an address, phone number and e-mail address tend to go straight into the wastebasket. And make sure you have a mature e-mail address - sexygurl2008@youremail.com is not professional. You can create a free e-mail address (try using your first and last name) at Gmail, Yahoo! or Hotmail.
• Include An Objective - One of the biggest mistakes a job applicant makes on a resume is not including an objective. ResumeTemplates.org sums it up nicely: “By not choosing what job you want to do, you start your resume off on the wrong foot. Why? You force the employer to read it all the way through to figure out what kind of job you’re suited for. You create more work for your busy reader. This is the last thing you want to do!” The site also has a great page on other resume mistakes to avoid.
• Herald Your Achievements - Just jotting down a job description is not going to get you anywhere. Instead of writing, “I sold groceries,” try “I helped XYZ Store increase its sales by 200 percent in 2007.” Make sure that you communicate your achievements and talents!
• Don’t Lie - Employers have ways of finding out your true education and past employment. Don’t lie, because there’s a good chance that your fibs will come back and bite you in the butt.
• Don’t Get Creative - Keep the resume simple: one-inch margins; a simple, legible font like Times New Roman or Arial; and not too many bullets, lines and decorations. You want a resume that an employer can read quickly. There’s no need for hot pink lettering, Comic Sans MS or frilly paper.
• Proofread - Read over your resume for any errors, especially spelling and grammatical mistakes. Read it again. Also have a friend read it, if you so choose. Spell checkers are not infallible.
• Use Nice Paper - Resumes call for heavier stock, not run-of-the-mill white computer paper. Tip Diva prefers Southworth’s Connoisseur Collection, which is affordable, yet looks professional.
• Create Different Resume Formats - Don’t just have a resume saved in a word processor format. Also save it in HTML and PDF, which are two highly-requested formats when submitting your resume electronically. You can save as HTML through your word processor, and use a free program like PrimoPDF for PDF files. And make sure to back-up all your copies - e-mail them to yourself or burn them to CD.