Resume Tips

Yo ur resume is your most important calling card in your job search. It should include the following information:

Contact Information. Include phone, mail and email contact information. In addition, make sure your voicemail message at home our on your cell phone is professional. A message that is too casual can create a negative impression.

Career Objective. You may choose to list or not list your career objective. If your objective doesn't match the recruiter's needs, you may miss out on a golden opportunity. However, a clearly stated career objective can help your recruiter find your ideal career match.

Summary Statement. Your summary should be brief.

  1. Include your title and years of experience.
  2. List pertinent skills.
  3. Discuss your character traits or work style.

Example: "Plant Manager with over 10 years' experience with two Fortune 500 companies. Technical skills include Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, P&L, budgeting, forecasting and variance reporting. Bilingual in Spanish and English. Self-starter who approaches every project in a detailed, analytical manner."

12 Accomplishments Employers Want To See

  1. Increased revenues
  2. Saved money
  3. Increased efficiencies
  4. Cut overhead
  5. Increased sales
  6. Improved workplace safety
  7. Purchasing accomplishments
  8. New products/new lines
  9. Improved record keeping process
  10. Increased productivity
  11. Successful advertising campaign
  12. Effective budgeting

Professional Experience. List each position held in reverse chronological order, dating back at least ten years. For early career positions, a title and one line about the company are sufficient.

  • DO NOT leave any gaps in employment or personal history. If you held multiple positions within the same company, list them all to show advancement and growth. The body of each position description should describe a brief overview of your responsibilities and at least three significant accomplishments.
  • Bulletize your main points; wordy paragraphs will not be read.
  • Make the words count. You sell yourself to an employer with your words, so use them wisely and effectively.
  • Show your experience. Use action words to begin bullet points (e.g. reduced, led, implemented, improved, grew, etc.). Describe things that can be measured in order to show what you have done and accomplished. Show your numbers and percentages of cost savings, yield improvements, new product sales, market growth, etc.
  • Don't neglect appearance. The resume is a first impression for the employer. Check your grammar and spelling. Use normal margins. Such as, 1" Top & Bottom Margins, 1.25" Left & 1”Right Margins. Do not try to cram everything into one page.
  • Use a standard type font that is easily read

Other Components. Include education, professional training, affiliations/appointments, licenses, technical skills and languages.

Personal Information. Do not include personal information such as marital status.