General Resume Writing Guidelines

Every worker should have an up to date resume to market skills to potential employers. The information below can help write a successful and land your next job.

General Resume Writing Guidelines

• Your resume should be 1 or 2 pages long.
• Work on a computer. The computer will set margins and spacing for you. Use 10-12 point font size.
• Your resume should be free of errors.
• Use white, beige or gray bonded paper. Your envelope and cover letter paper should match your resume paper.
• Use skills statements with examples to show you are qualified for the job.
• Describe your skills accurately.
• Use work experience, volunteer experience, commendations and awards, formal training, education, internships, licenses or certifications to document your skills.
• Have a separate reference sheet.

Content and Organization

Your resume needs to include your skills and work experience. There are a number of ways to organize that information and we’ve highlighted two of the most popular styles here.

Functional Skills-based Resume

Functional resumes (also called skills-based résumés) focus on the skills you have that apply to the job you are seeking.

This style is best for:

• People who want to change careers;
• People with have academic or technical training, but little or no work history; and
• People who are returning to the workforce or who have held many different jobs.

Chronological Resume

Chronological resumes list your work history from your current or most recent job back to your first job. This style highlights continued growth in a particular field.

This style is best for:

• People who are seeking work in their current field; and
• People seeking promotions or a position with more responsiblity.