The Six Cardinal Rules of Résumé Writing

• Type all your information starting on the left-hand side of the page. Don't center or justify any text. These formatting commands don't transmit well electronically.
• Length isn't as critical for electronic résumé as it is for electronic documents. Instead of typing your technical skills in paragraph form, cite them in a list. Also type your key words in a list instead of in column format. They will be easier to read.

3. Spelling, Grammar and Syntax

Typographical errors signal job-search death, which may be why Mr. Runyan's did so poorly. It contained three typographical and two syntax errors, as well as unpolished wording.

He didn't recognize that résumé serve as your introduction to employers, and indicate the quality and caliber of work you'll produce. An imperfect document isn't acceptable.

Write your document in the active first-person tense, never the third person, and choose language that's appropriate to the type of position you're seeking. If you're a mid-level manager, don't use "Ph.D." language. If you're in line for CEO, COO or other top operating slots, use words appropriate to that level.

Proofread your résumé not just once or twice, but repeatedly for typographical and wording errors. Then ask three to five others to review it, paying attention to your terminology and tone.

4. Content

Résumés aren't job descriptions. Still, you may have seen some that included such descriptions as, "This position was responsible for purchasing, logistics, materials management and distribution." Were you impressed with those?

Mr. Runyan made this mistake. For instance, under "Experience," he included descriptions of positions without mentioning the size of his past employers or his achievements. It could have been anyone's résumé. He also cited every job he'd held, going back to 1972.

Listing all your past employment isn't necessary or helpful. And, if you list responsibilities, include their scope and your contributions.

"Generalizations aren't impressive," says Shanna Kemp, owner of Kemp Career Services in Carrolltown, Texas. "A résumé must include specifics -- numbers, percentages, details -- that communicate how well you performed in the workplace."

To highlight your strengths, develop strong, results-driven position summaries. For instance, a logistics manager might write:

Prospective employers who read this description can sense the scope and results of the manager's experience. Remember, recruiters won't read between the lines for relevant information if you don't spell it out.

And if positions you held 15, 20 or 30 years ago aren't relevant to your current career path, delete or briefly summarize them at the end. For example, "Previous professional employment includes several increasingly responsible management positions with the ABC Co. and XYZ Corp." Whether you include your dates of employment depends on your circumstances.

5. Focus

A résumé doesn't work if readers can't quickly grasp who a candidate is and what he or she seeks to do. For instance, it's likely that Mr. Runyan baffled readers with his objective: "Seeking a position where I can contribute to the growth of a corporation."

"In my recruiting practice, if I receive a résumé and can't immediately tell what the person does or what he wants, I'm finished with it," says Peter Newfield, president of Retail Search of America and Career Resumes in Golden Bridge, N.Y. "I just don't have the time."

Clearly and directly state who you are, with either of these strategies:

Strategy 1: Write a clear, well-defined objective. For example, you might say something like, "Seeking a challenging management position directing sales and marketing for a high-growth consumer products company."

Strategy 2: Omit an objective and start with a "summary" or "career profile" instead. Unlike an objective, which states what you want, a summary describes what you know and quickly grabs readers' attention. For example:

A summary eliminates the need for an objective because it usually indicates the type of position a candidate seeks. Don't assume that stating your objective in a cover letter is sufficient. Cover letters and résumé must be able to stand alone.

• « previous
• 1
• 2
• 3
• next »