I’ve written and seen plenty of résumés, so these tips in MarketWatch.com piqued my interest. Have you ever noticed that résumés are a bit like spring fashion? Some things are trendy at certain times and not so hot in others. Here are my top five tips:
- Make the résumé readable. At least a 12 point font (depending on the font), 1 ½ line spacing, no spelling or grammatical errors. This is so obvious, but it is unbelievable how many résumés fail this simple test.
- Include a summary section in the first page. The first three lines should make clear that you are suitable for the job.
- If you are printing your résumé, consider laser printing in nice sheets of paper. You want your résumé to stand out and also show that you care enough about the job you are applying.
- Highlight accomplishments, not tasks. Most résumés I see have a laundry list of tasks performed at the previous job. E.g. “Solved problem X for the customer”. Isn’t it better to say: “Solved problem X which resulted in 50% more orders from the customer”?
- Stick to two pages as much as possible. I realize that this may not be possible for some jobs, but it has worked for me.
Can you share any “insider” tips about résumé writing? I’d love to know.
