Tips to Writing a Resume

By Stefanie Spikell

One of the most important tools that a job seeker has is his/her resume. The resume is what employers look at in order to screen their candidates. It tells employers what their prospective employee's main objective is for trying to acquire the job, their salary history, their experience, and most of all their qualifications. By having the right resume, a job seeker might get a chance to get an interview with the company.

The most important thing to remember as a job seeker is that the resume is supposed to present you in the best light possible. It is an ad about who you are and what you can do. It states your purpose and your qualifications. One thing you have to keep in mind is what to include within your resume. If you are someone that does not have a lot of experience and have had a couple of jobs in the past that do not relate to the job that you are applying for, then you should go ahead and include those jobs that you have held in order for your possible employer to see how long you have worked with a company, and the different types of responsibilities that you have had. It certain cases, it can show your possible employer your ability to work in a team setting.

If you are a person with a couple more years of experience, remember to only include the positions held that relate to the job that you are applying for. For example, if you are a computer person and have had a couple of jobs working in I.T. as a network admin, systems analyst, or web developer, and you also had jobs that dealt with sales and marketing and you are applying for a job still related to I.T., then it would not be a good idea to include your sales and marketing positions within your resume. Employers want to see a trend that you are focused on a specific field and that you would be committed to it for some time.

Another point that should be included in a resume is the different skill sets a prospective employee has. Being in the 21st century, most employers want their employees to be familiar with how to use a computer, and to know how to use basic word processing and spreadsheet programs. It is important to state only things that are valid and not to include things that one is really not familiar with.

The length of the resume is also important. It is good practice to try to keep the resume down to a page long. Employers do not want to get inundated with resumes that are 2-3 pages in length. If one is not able to keep to a page in length, it is important to try to make it as short as possible. Some helpful tips to keep it short is to reduce the font size, but not to a point where it would be hard for the employer to read. Another tip is to reduce the print margins. If the resume is longer than a page, it is good practice to include page numbers and the job seekers name on the top of the page, just in case the resume comes loose and gets mixed up with other papers in the pile. References should not be included in the resume, it just takes up space. Include in the resume that references shall be furnished upon request. On another sheet of paper, include all the references that you might have and bring it to your interview.

Lastly, a cover page is another good thing to include with a resume. It is not necessary at all times, but it tells employers that the job seeker took the time to write it up. It can also give the employers a heads up as to what to expect within the resume such as to why the person is applying for the position and what their qualifications are.

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