Career Seekers > Prepare for Take-off > How to prepare a resume

So, you want a new job? You’re going to need a resume. A strong resume should be carefully planned and developed because it’s the most important tool in making sure YOU are selected for the interview.

We know that writing a resume can be overwhelming, so to help the process along, here are a few tips:

Determine your job search objective.

This is a critical step before writing your resume as you will develop your resume content around it.

Write a Strong Resume Summary Statement.

The Summary Statement should be high-impact and focus on your strongest assets – the key skills and experience you have that align with the key skills and requirements for the desired position. Here are two examples of resume Summary Statements:

• Example 1: Accomplished sales professional known for delivering strong revenue and profit gains in highly competitive markets, seeking a Regional Sales Manager position. Bring 15 years of solid experience and select strengths that include sales territory management, key account development, and client/vendor relationship building. Equally effective at team and leadership building and program development.
• Example 2 (using key words): Accomplished sales professional known for delivering strong profit gains in highly competitive markets, seeking a Regional Sales Manager position. Strengths include:
  Capital Sales & Marketing | Team Building/Leadership
  Key Account Development | Client/Vendor Relations
  Financial Analysis & Reporting | Program Development

List Your Work Experience and Achievements

• List experience in chronological order, starting with current or most recent job.
• List the employer along with dates of employment.
• Use bulleted, short sentences and begin with action words when listing achievements (remember – resumes are scanned and usually not read). State how you excelled in the position and how you made a difference for the company, providing specific examples. Ask yourself:
  • How did I perform the job better than others?
  • What were the problems or challenges I faced and how did I overcome them? What were the results?
  • How did the company benefit from my performance? Did I receive any awards, special recognitions or promotions as a result?

Finish Up with Competencies, Training, Certifications, and Degree Information.

• List computer and technical competencies, as applicable, in a separate section.
• List certifications, training, and degree information in a separate section.

Formatting Guidelines – Make Content Easy to Scan and Remember

• Type your resume in a commonly used application such as Microsoft Word.
• Use margins of at least ½".
• Bold and use larger type for your name and section headings.
• Use Arial or Times New Roman fonts, 10 pt - 12 pt for the rest of the content in your resume. These fonts are easier to read.
• Use 8.5” x 11” white (not colored or textured) paper and black ink.
• Keep the sections aligned and use consistent formatting.
• Use an appropriate amount of spacing to make it easier to scan. In other words, leave some white space.
• Make percentages, numbers, and dollar amounts stand out using numerical formats versus text, for example:
  • Managed a team of 12 with a budget of $1,000,000.
  • Increased sales by 31% in an 8-state territory.
• Keep resume to one to two pages. For two page resumes, it’s best to fill the second page at least halfway; otherwise, try to limit to one page.
• If your resume is more than one page, write “Continued” at the bottom of page one, and write your name and “Page 2” at the top of the second page.
• Limit the use of graphics unless you are in a creative field. It is okay to use a border and some shading to make a particular section stand out or to assist the reader in scanning the document.

Definite Do’s

• Keep your resume brief, simple, and understandable.
• Use a separate sheet for cover letters.
• List work history up to 7-10 years (unless the experience directly relates to the desired position).
• Proof, proof, and proof again! One typo can land your resume in the garbage.
• Ask someone to review your resume. Encourage them to ask questions or conduct a mock-interview. Their questions will help reveal overlooked items and help ensure the resume is clear and concise.
• Revise your resume to include new items brought to your attention.
• Proof it again! Because your resume is the first impression the reader or employer will have of you, you want to be sure it’s perfect.

Definite Don’ts

• Don’t include ...
  • information about your hobbies, personal interests, or social memberships unless they relate to your career field.
  • personal information such as your age, birthdate, marital status, spouses name, the number of children you have, or your Social Security Number.
  • a photograph.
• Don't embellish your experience.
• Don't use complicated formatting.
• Don't include personal references on your resume. If requested by the employer, provide them on a separate sheet.
• Don’t include the statement “Professional References Available Upon Request” on your resume. If the employer asks for references, provide them on a separate sheet.
• It’s not necessary to use grammatical persons in your resume – personal pronouns such as I, we, they, he, my, etc. For example, instead of “I developed a sales cycle process that they are currently using, which increased their sales cycle by 15%,” say “Developed a process that improved sales cycle by 15%.”