A resume is a one to two-page document that summarizes your skills, experience, and accomplishments. It is usually the first thing an employer sees when considering you for a position, so make it count!
If you need to write a resume in the traditional sense, there’s some rules and guidelines that we can offer. It should be typed and paginated (single spaced). Use a font size of 10 or 12 points. Arial or Times New Roman are good choices. Try not to be too verbose – bullet points work well if it’s difficult for you to condense your duties or achievements into readable form. If any jobs have gaps in employment dates, list the company name where applicable in the period left blank (i.e., “Job#1 – January 1998 – June 2000, Job#2 – July 2000 – June 2001”).
Use the company name whenever possible to indicate your relationship with the employer. If you used an alias on a previous job, it may be mentioned in your resume. Keep it brief and professional. Check out the most popular article on Resume and CV format
If you’ve been out of work for some time but still have relevant skills and concrete achievements, consider writing a “resumé-in-waiting” to update your skills and experience. It can help you to get re-employed sooner rather than later. The information is usually presented as bulleted points that expand into paragraphs after each one has been revealed. It’s fine if there are certain key areas you want to emphasize, but try to avoid drafting your resume as an “artifact” of your life.
In this article, you will learn the basics and rules of how to write a resume. We will start with some basic principles, then move on to the details of how to organize and format a resume. Then we’ll review a few sample resumes together before looking at different ways in which you can highlight your accomplishments in order to stand out from other candidates.
Understanding the basics: formatting and layout
You should use proper writing techniques when writing your resume; otherwise, it will look unprofessional. A proper resume design contains clear layout and formatting rules. Establish the following key principles:
Don’t hesitate to break up long, awkward sentences into multiple paragraphs.
Use short paragraphs rather than lengthy paragraphs with many details. Always use the best CV example related to your job profile.
Use defined (or “hard” or “blacked-out”) margins to visually distinguish different sections of the resume (i.e., resume types set in one section should be in a different color from those set in another section). Avoid using soft or faded colors, which may blur together if you have several resumes page-wise. You can use your own style, such as making the same color for all pages or using colored font labels to mark particular sections of the document (i.e. current job, contact info, etc.).
Always follow proper punctuation rules, i.e., don’t use a period at the end of a sentence unless the last word ends in a period; always end sentences with a capital letter; remember to capitalize all company names and acronyms. And you should check your spelling! It’s also good practice to have an “Associated With” section where you can briefly describe someone who worked with you during your job.
Provide contact information for yourself or other sources of information (e.g., school) on each resume page. You can put this at the bottom or top of the page if desired.