| Overview
of an Excellent Resume
Length 1 to 1 1/2 pages
Margins Wide
Typing Clear and professional
Format Make all information easy to read
No spelling, grammar or punctuation errors
Name, address and phone number are clear and distinct
Information is organized in order of importance
Paper stock is professional quality; textured and not white
Overall appearance is visually pleasing and easy to read
Makes an impression within 15 seconds
Gives a good description of the scope of responsibilities
Accomplishment oriented
Action words used to communicate results
Tightly edited to eliminate unnecessary information
Extraneous and personal information have been left out
Includes Excellent References Available Upon Request
Resumι demonstrates your ability
to produce and succeed
Common
resume mistakes:
- Making it too long - your resume is a summary not a whole
story
- Including personal information - listing "just the
facts" is a better idea than listing personal hobbies
- Making spelling errors or typos - a mistake on your resume
will almost always cost you the job interview
- Utilizing a careless layout - make sure the presentation is
neat, clear and easy to read. It's better to be too conservative
rather than risky
General resume writing
rules:
- Keep it to one page
- List your experience with the most recent first
- If you have a college degree or specialized training, place
this following your job experience
- Strong computer skills are a must for many levels of
employment today; a list of software on which you are proficient
may be listed under your degree
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More Rules For Resumes
Your resume needs to reflect all that you do and have accomplished.
What value do you bring to the table?
A good way to incorporate your achievements is to first describe your job duties in a paragraph, then provide a bulleted list of your
top achievements.
Try to remember you achievements by creating a log of your day to
day, weekly and monthly activities. Everything.
Do not filter. Then look at every single activity.
Do you use the computer? What programs? What specialized
programs? Did you do anything to increase efficiency?
Go into every detail of your work life. Ask your self, "What
did I do that helped my company"
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Remember to use these verbs in writing your resume and cover letters
to increase the strength of your writing.
Communication/People Skills
Addressed
Advertised
Arbitrated
Arranged
Articulated
Authored
Clarified
Collaborated
Communicated
Composed
Condensed
Conferred
Consulted
Contacted
Conveyed
Convinced
Corresponded
Debated
Defined
Developed
Directed
Discussed
Drafted
Edited
Elicited
Enlisted
Explained
Expressed
Formulated
Furnished
Incorporated
Influenced
Interacted
Interpreted
Interviewed
Involved
Joined
Judged
Lectured
Listened
Marketed
Mediated
Moderated
Negotiated
Observed
Outlined
Participated
Persuaded
Presented
Promoted
Proposed
Publicized
Reconciled
Recruited
Referred
Reinforced
Reported
Resolved
Responded
Solicited
Specified
Spoke
Suggested
Summarized
Synthesized
Translated
Wrote
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Creative Skills
Acted
Adapted
Began
Combined
Composed
Conceptualized
Condensed
Created
Customized
Designed
Developed
Directed
Displayed
Drew
Entertained
Established
Fashioned
Formulated
Founded
Illustrated
Initiated
Instituted
Integrated
Introduced
Invented
Modeled
Modified
Originated
Performed
Photographed
Planned
Revised
Revitalized
Shaped
Solved
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Data/Financial Skills
Administered
Adjusted
Allocated
Analyzed
Appraised
Assessed
Audited
Balanced
Budgeted
Calculated
Computed
Conserved
Corrected
Determined
Developed
Estimated
Forecasted
Managed
Marketed
Measured
Netted
Planned
Prepared
Programmed
Projected
Qualified
Reconciled
Reduced
Researched
Retrieved
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Helping Skills
Adapted
Advocated
Aided
Answered
Arranged
Assessed
Assisted
Clarified
Coached
Collaborated
Contributed
Cooperated
Counseled
Demonstrated
Diagnosed
Educated
Encouraged
Ensured
Expedited
Facilitated
Familiarized
Furthered
Guided
Helped
Insured
Intervened
Motivated
Prevented
Provided
Referred
Rehabilitated
Represented
Resolved
Simplified
Supplied
Supported
Volunteered
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Management/Leadership Skills
Administered
Analyzed
Appointed
Approved
Assigned
Attained
Authorized
Chaired
Considered
Consolidated
Contracted
Controlled
Converted
Coordinated
Decided
Delegated
Developed
Directed
Eliminated
Emphasized
Enforced
Enhanced
Established
Executed
Generated
Handled
Headed
Hired
Hosted
Improved
Incorporated
Increased
Initiated
Inspected
Instituted
Led
Managed
Merged
Motivated
Navigated
Organized
Originated
Overhauled
Oversaw
Planned
Presided
Prioritized
Produced
Recommended
Reorganized
Replaced
Restored
Reviewed
Scheduled
Secured
Selected
Streamlined
Strengthened
Supervised
Terminated
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Organizational Skills
Approved
Arranged
Catalogued
Categorized
Charted
Classified
Coded
Collected
Compiled
Corrected
Corresponded
Distributed
Executed
Filed
Generated
Incorporated
Inspected
Logged
Maintained
Monitored
Obtained
Operated
Ordered
Organized
Prepared
Processed
Provided
Purchased
Recorded
Registered
Reserved
Responded
Reviewed
Routed
Scheduled
Screened
Submitted
Supplied
Standardized
Systematized
Updated
Validated
Verified
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Research Skills
Analyzed
Clarified
Collected
Compared
Conducted
Critiqued
Detected
Determined
Diagnosed
Evaluated
Examined
Experimented
Explored
Extracted
Formulated
Gathered
Inspected
Interviewed
Invented
Investigated
Located
Measured
Organized
Researched
Reviewed
Searched
Solved
Summarized
Surveyed
Systematized
Tested
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Teaching Skills
Adapted
Advised
Clarified
Coached
Communicated
Conducted
Coordinated
Critiqued
Developed
Enabled
Encouraged
Evaluated
Explained
Facilitated
Focused
Guided
Individualized
Informed
Instilled
Instructed
Motivated
Persuaded
Simulated
Stimulated
Taught
Tested
Trained
Transmitted
Tutored
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Technical Skills
Adapted
Applied
Assembled
Built
top
Computed
Conserved
Constructed
Converted
Debugged
Designed
Determined
Developed
Engineered
Fabricated
Fortified
Installed
Maintained
Operated
Overhauled
Printed
Programmed
Rectified
Regulated
Remodeled
Repaired
Replaced
Restored
Solved
Specialized
Standardized
Studied
Upgraded
Utilized
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Resume format examples:
- Chronological
- Presents job history and education by date. It's organized
in reverse order by employer, with the most recent first.
- Functional
- Also called a skills resume, it's a summary of
qualifications typically organized by education, experience and
skills, with little emphasis on employer history.
- Combination
- Also called a hybrid resume, it's a composite of the two
above.
Always place your contact information first, followed by your
objective. Which format is best and in which order the
components appear depends on your career situation.
There are dozens of variations available including targeted
resumes that are specific to the job of which you are submitting
the resume.
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Cover Letter Formula
Your resume is a summary of your qualifications, but your cover
letter is your sales pitch to the employer. If you've done your
homework and written it well, it:
- Properly introduces you
- Highlights your qualifications
- Shows that you know
something about the company
- Demonstrates your written communication skills
- Convinces the employer to grant you an interview
Sample Cover Letter
[Your Name]
[Street City State Zip Code]
[Phone # Fax phone # Messages phone # Email]
[Date today]
[Recipient's name]
[Company name]
[Address]
[Address]
[Address]
[JOB TITLE or JOB REFERENCE NUMBER]
Dear [Recipient's name]:
[Write your cover letter in the active
voice. Keep it brief; e.g., three or four paragraphs on one
page. Check your grammar and spelling, then check it again. Start by
expressing your interest in the job. Employers like to know where
you heard about it, so mention it.]
[Your cover letter is not the place to ask what
the company can do for you, but to state what you can do for the
company. The middle paragraphs are the most important, and your
chance to stand out from other candidates. Summarize and highlight
your skills, qualifications and major accomplishments related to the
job, but don't simply reiterate your resume. Supplement it and say
what it can't. Most importantly, explain why your qualifications
and the job requirements are a good match. Use action
verbs such as implemented and developed.]
[Wrap it up by stating when you'll be available for work, and the
best time and place the recipient can reach you. Mention that your
resume is enclosed or attached, and offer to provide more
information, work samples and/or references. Indicate that you'd
like an interview in person or by phone. Thank the recipient for his
or her time and consideration. Say that you look forward to hearing
from the recipient.]
Sincerely,
[Sign here]
[Your name]
Enclosure [or Attachment]: [Number]
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