Tips on Writing a Resume

Unless you're applying at the local Qwik-e-mart, you probably need a decent resume to get a job.  And unless you're in the recruiting business, or spend a lot of time finding new jobs, you probably need a few tips on how to write a good resume, because just any old thing won't do.  The better the job you're trying to get, the better your resume needs to be.  You can't just slap something together and expect it to get you an interview for a senior level position.  So how exactly do you go about it?  How do you turn 'just one of the bunch' into something truly amazing, something that will guarantee you a callback?  Read on for some tips and ideas to make your resume great.

1) Remember that people reading your resume will typically be skimming it.  They aren't reading it cover to cover.  They are looking through a pile of them and trying to pick out those that deserve more attention.  That said, you should attempt to keep your thoughts a little more concise than you might normally.  Don't build long, complex sentences.  Try to comminicate short, compact thoughts.  This way, as someone skims your resume, it's much more likely that any little bit they do read makes sense without needing a lot of context.

2) Leverage your whitespace.  Empty portions of the page serve two purposes that you should keep in mind.  First, they keep your resume from feeling crowded or busy.  This is a good thing.  You want it to feel purposeful and focused.  Also, whitespace sets off various sections of the document.  This may seem obvious, but the relevant idea is that areas following empty space are highlighted.  Take advantage of this to focus attention on important points by placing them at the beginning of a section.

3) Consider doing some prep work before you start writing.  Make a rough outline of what you plan to write.  Once you have the big picture figured out, then sit down and actually type your resume.  This will give it a more fluid feeling, and is more likely to leave a positive impression on the reader.  If you write it off the top of your head, there's an increased probability that it will have a disjointed feel, leaving the reader with a halting, jerky read.

Of course, these tips on how to write a good resume are not the only principles you need to follow.  Click through some of the other pages on the site to learn more about writing a resume.