R esume H andbook
Handbook courtesy of the CareerBuilder Network
III — Writing Tips
The CareerBuilder Network offers this accomplishments. Don't use declar- successful resume depends on more
collection of wisdom for fine-tuning a ative sentences like "I developed than what you say; how you say it
resume into a winner: the..." or "I assisted in..."; leave out counts as well.
the "I." Avoid passive constructions,
Keep it concise. Employers have lots such as "was responsible for manag- Check your resume for proper gram-
to do, so don't make the mistake of ing." It's not only more efficient to mar and correct spelling — evidence
asking them to read through an say "Managed," it's stronger and of good communication skills and
unnecessarily long resume. A long, more active. attention to detail. Nothing can ruin
wordy resume will put off someone your chances of getting a job faster
who is already short on time. Make the most of your experience. than submitting a resume filled with
Resumes should be one page, if pos- Potential employers need to know easily preventable mistakes.
sible, and two if absolutely neces- what you have accomplished to have
sary to describe relevant work expe- an idea of what you can do for them. Make your resume easy on the eyes.
rience. A two-page resume is no Don't be vague. Describe things that Use normal margins (1" on the top
advantage if it's full of information can be measured objectively. Telling and bottom, 1.25" on the sides) and
that isn't reasonably applicable to someone that you "improved ware- don't cram your text onto the page.
the position you're applying for. Use house efficiency" doesn't say much. Allow for some breathing room
the space only if you need it to fully Telling them that you "cut requisition between the different sections. Avoid
disclose your accomplishments. costs by 20%, saving the company unusual or exotic font styles; use sim-
$3800 for the fiscal year" does. ple fonts with a professional look. Use
Make your words count. Your use of Employers will feel more comfortable standard, non-textured, fine-grained
language is extremely important; hiring you if they can verify your paper in white or ivory. Keep in mind
you need to sell yourself to an accomplishments. that textured and dark-colored paper
employer quickly and efficiently. may not copy well when the employ-
Address your potential employer's Be honest. There is a difference er makes copies to pass around to
needs with a clearly written, com- between making the most of your other participants in the hiring
pelling resume. experience and exaggerating or fal- process. If you need to copy your
sifying it. A falsified resume can be resume, make sure your copies are
Avoid large paragraphs (over six or easily spotted by an employer (if not clean and clear. Even the best-looking
seven lines). Resumes are often immediately then during the inter- resume can be ruined by a poor copi-
scanned by hiring managers. If you view process), and if it doesn't pre- er. Use only copiers maintained for
provide small, digestible pieces of vent you from getting the job, it can professional copying.
information you stand a better cost you the job later on.
chance of having your resume actu- Target, target, target. Emphasize what
ally read. Use action verbs such as Don't neglect appearance. Your you can do for an employer. Be specif-
"developed," "managed," and resume is the first impression you'll ic. If you are going after more than one
"designed" to emphasize your make on a potential employer, and a job opening, customize your resume
R esume H andbook
Handbook courtesy of the CareerBuilder Network
III — Writing Tips, continued
accordingly. It helps to tailor your from you, and they would probably tact, and will request them if there's
resume for a specific position. be more comfortable if you don't vol- a need to do so.
Remember to only include the experi- unteer it yourself. List your hobbies
ence that is relevant to the job. and interests only if you can relate Avoid the "Objective" statement.
them to the position you're applying Your objective should be clearly
Eliminate superfluous details. for. If you need room to describe your articulated in your cover letter. If you
Unnecessary details can take up a lot work experience, avoid this altogeth- do include an objective, be specific.
of valuable space on your resume. er. The phrase "References available Vague statements, such as "Looking
Don't mention personal characteris- upon request" should be left off if you to utilize my marketing skills" or
tics such as age, height, and marital need room to describe your work "seeking a rewarding position" add
status. This is information that experience. Most employers assume nothing to a resume and may in fact
employers may not legally solicit you have references they may con- make you appear insincere.
III — Activity
1. Keep each of the above writing tips this section down the left hand too wordy it might receive a low
in mind as you embellish and revise side (e.g. “Keep it concise,” “Make score on "Keep it concise."
the draft of your resume. Resume- your words count,” etc.) and lists
writing is a painstaking process. the categories included on your 4. Based on your own and your
Take your time! Remember, for resume (e.g. Honors & Awards, classmate’s evaluation, do one last
your resume to set you apart from Work History, etc.) across the top. revision of your resume.
other job or college applicants, it Make two checksheets – one for
needs to come as close to perfec- yourself and one for a classmate. 5. Bravo! Hopefully, your new resume
tion as possible. If you haven’t done is a reflection of your unique assets
so already, type and format your 3. Using a scale of 1-5, you and a class- and marketable skills. May it open
resume on a computer. mate should both evaluate your doors to your future!
resume according to how well each
2. On a separate sheet of paper, cre- section meets the criteria listed on
ate an evaluation checksheet that the left. If, for example, your
lists the writing tips described in Volunteer Experiences section is