Resume Ruminations

There are many great resources for resume tips out there on the web.  When it’s time for you to freshen up your resume, peruse them all.  Here are the tips, tidbits and trade secrets regarding resumes I find the most helpful.  (Note:  I will be adding to this list periodically.)

1. Remember your resume is a self-marketing piece not a detailed account of your previous job descriptions.  Don’t get too bogged down in whether or not you collated, processed or filed.  Focus on  accomplishments, not tasks.
2. Use the objective section wisely.  Don’t use too much business-speak… everyone loves a highly motivated, detail oriented, multitasking, team player… just put it into believable terms.
3. For each job in your career history use 1-2 sentences describing the company and position, then give the rest as bullet points regarding your achievements and accomplishments in that role.
4. Show them the trees not the forest.  (see #1)
5. When listing your previous jobs use any advantageous company details to your benefit.  If it was a Fortune 500 company say so, large annual revenues can be boasted, high ranking in their industry etc… Even small company details can be exalted.
6. All business is numbers at some point.  Use numbers to describe the company, your role and your achievements.
7. Consider if you’ve won any recognition from your peers or superiors and mention it.  This includes everything from employee of the month awards to being selected project lead for nearly anything.  Everyone has them, spend plenty of time considering yours.
8. If you’ve trained, mentored, coached or hired any co-workers, mention it and tell how many (see #6).
9. Your resume must stand out visually.  It doesn’t have to have pictures and flashy design elements, but it should sit pleasingly on the page in a way that attracts others to read it.  Every job opening is bound to have dozens if not hundreds of applicants in this market.  Make sure your resume is not easy to ignore.
10. If you print it, use nice paper.  If you print it on watermarked paper, make sure the watermark is facing correctly.
11. If you share your resume electronically via email, use .PDF or some other file type aside from a Word Doc unless specifically requested.  Word Docs show all of your foibles grammatically and spacing-wise, even if they are intentional.
12. Your resume must be perfect.  You have as much time to work on it as you want before submitting it to potential employers.  Spelling errors, grammatical mistakes, punctuation inconsistencies, and incorrect formatting should not be tolerated.
13. Be creative.  Don’t just say you are, find ways to show it.
14. Show a bit of personality.  Read over it… does it sound like the best you possible?  If not, change it.

Here’s one of the best spots for good resume writing tips at DailyWritingTips.com: http://www.dailywritingtips.com/resume-writing-tips/ They tend to be a bit too black and white for me, but all the most important basics are covered… I would say there is more room for individuality in some job markets than they allow for though.