Should I create my own resume format, or should I use a template?
There are many resume templates available for use. If you have a specific objective or want to convey your employment experience in specific fashion, you might want to use a specific type of resume template. However, templates can be much more difficult to edit than a normal Word document. Look through a variety of template designs to give you an idea of how you want to create your resume, then create one using a Word document.
What should I put in my resume? What is necessary information and what is not?
Your resume should always include your basic personal contact information. Your name, full address, phone number, and email address should always be included. Give this information at the top of your resume. Do not give descriptions such as height, weight, age, skin color, or sex. This will reduce chances of discrimination and is not considered relevant information in the United States.
Example:
John Doe 1555 Highland Court, Denver, CO. 83483
jdoe123@generic-email.com
Telephone- (459)555-6858
Your resume should display and highlight skills and achievements relevant to the position you are looking for. You should organize your knowledge and skills into sections which present your information in reverse chronological order, starting with the freshest experiences and going backwards in time. This is the most common type of resume, and is very suitable for students, recent graduates, and people with little professional experience. Some of the most common sections include:
education experience, work or professional experience, volunteer experience, and,
special skills and achievements. These are good sections to include if you are creating a resume for the first time or don’t have too much experience in professional or work-related activities. More comprehensive sections can help you tailor your resume to more specific or technical jobs, but may still be relevant for a basic resume. These sections include:
awards and achievements, certifications and licenses, computer skills, clinical experience, related work experience, internship experience, relevant courses, externship experience, accomplishments.
Oftentimes, an objective is good to add. An objective section is a brief, two to three sentence statement outlining what your goal is in presenting your resume and what you are looking to accomplish. This is particularly useful if you are tailoring your resume to a particular occupation.
How should my sections be organized?
Let’s look at a common structure for a basic or general resume:
(1)
Contact Information
(2)
Objective (optional)
(3)
Education Experience (If you have not attended school in a long time, you might want this to go last, as your work and professional experience may be more valid.)
(4)
Work, or, Professional Experience (Bullet point your employment history, starting with most recent occupation, moving backwards in time. Include name and location of employer, dates employed, and a brief description of duties or accomplishments.)
(5)
Special Skills or Achievements (This fifth section is meant to flesh out your personality. If you have lots of volunteer experience, perhaps you would like to use this space to discuss your volunteerism…if you think it is important part of your personality and personal skill set, include it! Don’t limit yourself, but think about your audience when you decide what to include or what not to include in your resume.)
(6)
Activities, Skills, Other information (Catch any loose ends in this section.)
(7)
Additional sheet with professional references’ contact information.
Any helpful resume building tips?
You bet!
1. Use action verbs when describing job duties and accomplishments.
2. Avoid including information that is outdated unless it is highly relevant to the job you are seeking.
3.
BOLD your name to make it stand out more.
4. Try and limit your resume to one page, two at the maximum.
5. Resumes should be clear and concise, too much information may make your resume seem disorganized and cluttered. Take care to describe as much as possible with as few words as possible.
6. There is more than one type of resume other than just a Chronological resume. Look up definitions for Functional resumes and Chronological/Functional resumes. These formats may be useful to you.
7. Keep your resume simple and professional. Do not distract or put off employers by using flowery print or elaborate designs.
8. Tweak your resume depending on the job you are applying for. If you think that some details are not relevant, take them out! If you have experience not given in your resume that is relevant to the position you’re applying for, include it! Contacting the human resources department of the business you are applying to can provide you with the information they are specifically looking for as well as guide you in your choice of a format.
9. Print your resume on sturdy, off-white resume paper.
10.
Proofread and edit! Incorrect spelling and grammar usage is a major turnoff for employers. Have someone proofread your resume to help catch any errors or confusing wording.
Here's a sample of a basic resume:
