Resume Tips – Back to Basics
April 26th, 2012
By Kristi Gage
Corporate Branch Manager and Bilingual Recruiter, Gage Personnel
- HEADING: Present your resume in a clean, easy-to-read fashion by starting with your name, address, telephone number and a professional email address.
- PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY: Present your strongest skill sets in a brief Summary at the top of your resume. Remember to keep this very broad as you may be applying for a variety of jobs. A Summary is different than an Objective, and can help employers see why you could be a good fit for their organization. It takes less emphasis off of your GOALS, and puts more emphasis on your SKILLS AND STRENGTHS. If you are a sales representative, Google “Professionals Summary for Sales Representative” for examples of a strong Professionals Summary for that field. Be sure not to plagiarize; this is just to give you an idea of how this section should be worded.
- EXPERIENCE: Remember to present your work history in chronological order, with your most recent employment first. You must provide dates of employment (Month and Year, or just Year), and above all, make sure the dates are correct.
- EDUCATION: Remember to present your education in the next section, with your most recent education first. Dates are not necessary in this section.
- SKILLS: You may add a list of additional skill sets that will highlight your strengths, experiences and any additional training you might have. For example, you may want to include your experience with Microsoft Office programs, which may not have been made clear in your work history. Don’t take your skills for granted – it’s OK to brag!
- COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: While this section is not necessary, many employers like to see candidates that can highlight their volunteer efforts, memberships to local organizations, committees, etc.
Remember that it is important to include a cover letter that is very specific to each job and company that you apply for. Your cover letter is your chance to set yourself apart from a sea of resumes being submitted to an HR person. In your cover letter, you should include why you think you may a good fit for a particular position or why you may be a great match for their company. It would also be a great idea to research a company or position prior to submitting your resume… this way you can stay up to date on current news, and perhaps congratulate an employer on their recent successes – such as awards, accolades, expansions, etc.
Be careful not to talk yourself out of a job before you even get the chance to interview. It is best NOT to include your salary requirements in your cover letter or resume. Today, employers find it acceptable to receive resumes that are longer than one (1) page. If you can keep it to two (2) pages, that may be ideal for most employers. Use the same font throughout your entire resume… and remember to double check your spelling!
