Tips for creating a Good Resume

When an employer looks at your resume, you've got about 30 seconds to make a good impression. That's the average amount of time most employers spend reading a resume. To capture the reader's attention, you need to be clear and to-the-point. And, that's not all. Here are several other things to keep in mind:

Be Concise.
Employers don't want to read a long, drawn-out version of your life's accomplishments. They have stacks of resumes to read, and want to know quickly whether or not you would be a good fit for their company. So, be concise, and exhibit your skills and abilities

Don't Forget Your Objective.
Before diving into writing your resume, plan out your career objective. Make it clear and focused. Remember to keep the message consistent throughout your resume as you summarize your skills and accentuate your strengths. .

Utilize Bullet-Points.
Use bullet points in the body of your resume instead of long paragraphs. Resumes are read rather quickly and anything you can do to draw the reader in will bring you one step closer to landing an interview.

Customize It.
Describe your experience in a way that relates to the skills the employer is seeking. If a company is looking for a candidate who has leadership ability, highlight your experience in training new employees or in managing projects.

Don't Be Long-Winded.
Keep your resume under two pages, unless you are applying for an executive-level position and have substantial experience.

Use Light-Colored Paper and Clear Fonts.
Your resume needs to be clean and simple, and that means printing it on light, neutral paper while choosing easy-to-read fonts. Also, make sure you leave enough space between each section with boldface or capital lettering.

Include Keywords.
Draw attention to your resume with keywords that describe your skills and experience. Inserting descriptive keywords in your resume is becoming more important as an increasing number of companies search for resumes in computer databases that find matches through keywords. These words should relate to the job you are applying for while highlighting your own skill set.

Be Error-Free.
Proofread your resume and then have a friend do it. Make sure your spelling and grammar are perfect. Don't rely entirely on computer spell-check programs, because not all typos are misspellings. Words spelled correctly can still be used improperly.

Use Appropriate Buzzwords.
Demonstrate your ability to communicate the language of your profession and industry by including relevant buzzwords. Warning: Steer clear of overusing abbreviations and acronyms in your text.

Quantify Your Achievements.
Use percentages and dollar amounts to show your success in achieving company goals. If you are in sales, use examples of how much you have grown your accounts over a specific period of time. Remember, if it's not an impressionable amount, stay away from exact numbers.

Use Action Verbs.
Paint a picture of your achievements. Explain your capabilities by using descriptive verbs such as "created," "implemented," or "organized."

Be Professional, Not Personal.
Focus on your work experiences and avoid stating personal information. Do not include vital statistics such as height, weight, age or a photo of yourself, and forget about mentioning the fact that you enjoy sci-fi movies and surfing in your spare time.

Keep a Positive Tone.
Your resume should present you in the best possible light. If you don't possess every skill an employer is seeking, do not emphasize your shortcomings. Focus on what you can offer.

Be Honest.
Lying or exaggerating about your skills and abilities will only come back to haunt you.

Avoid Writing "me" or "I."
Replace personal pronouns such as "I" or "me" with short action statements. Instead of saying, "I wrote several articles for the company newsletter," try, "Researched and wrote several articles for the company newsletter."

Choose your style
Organizing your resume in chronological order is not necessarily the best way to showcase your skills. Many job seekers use this traditional format, and it may be right for you, but if you're changing career paths or re-entering the workforce, a different style may be better. Here are the three most common resume templates and how they can best serve your needs.
Employers find chronological resumes, the old standby, easy to read because it gives them a simple work history and allows them to quickly detect any gaps in employment. Listings appear in reverse chronological order with the most recent job experience first.

Most suitable when:

1. Last few employers and job titles are impressive.
2. Work record is steady.
3. Goals and objectives are clear.
4. Career field is staying the same.
5. Job history shows advancement.

Least suitable when:

1. Emphasizing capabilities not used in recent jobs.
2. Changing careers.
3. Unstable work record.
3. Looking for your first job.
4. Trying to de-emphasize age.
5. Gaps in employment exist.
6. Away from the job market for a period of time

Less common but still effective, functional resumes organize information by skills or job accomplishments instead of chronology. Subheads are often used to emphasize areas of expertise, such as Sales, Technical, or Management Skills.

Most suitable when:

1. Changing career paths.
2. Lack direct experience for job opening.
3. Prefer to focus on accomplishments as opposed to work history.
4. No continuous growth or progression in career.
5. Re-entering the workforce.
6. Held similar positions for a long period of time.
7. Variety of unrelated work experiences.
8. Work has been freelance, consulting or temporary.
9. Playing down employment gaps.
10. Entrepreneur transitioning back into the corporate world.

Least suitable when:

1. Wish to highlight your promotions and career growth.
2. Lack achievements.
3. New to the working world (first job).
4. Specific past employers are prestigious.

These resumes combined chronological and functional approaches, tying work history, career achievements and marketable skills together. Subheadings are used to capture key skills, while work history is mentioned in a separate, usually smaller section. This form is ideal when creating an electronic resume, as you can include a paragraph of keywords or summary of skills.

Most suitable when:

1. Successful work record.
2. Patterns of accomplishments and skills.
3. Changing jobs in a related career field.
4. Worked in the same position for many years.
5. Trying to de-emphasize work history and spotlight transferable skills.

Least suitable when:

1. Lack of established work history.
2. No track record of career achievements.
3. New to the workforce