Resume Writing Tips – The Do’s and Don’ts

The Do’s of Resume Writing

• Use a chronological format, which lists your work experience starting with your most recent experience, unless you have significant gaps in your work history or are changing careers.
• Open with a summary statement highlighting your work functions, areas of expertise, and key skills.
• If you have a technical background, you should have a technical summary: hardware, software, operating systems, etc.
• Include a key word section of your competencies and areas of expertise.
• Emphasize accomplishments, not just responsibilities. Start each statement with an Action Verb.
• Emphasize the end results. Include quantifiable data if possible.
• Have a short (2 or 3 sentence) job description after job title, but use “bullets” to list accomplishments.
• Education – include anything beyond high school even if you did not finish or only took 1 or 2 courses.
• Include corporate & state sponsored training and certifications that are relevant.
• Proofread! Have a least 3 different pairs of eyes read your resume
• Awards should be listed under the title where you earned them as an accomplishment.

The Don’ts of Resume Writing

• Don’t exceed two pages in length unless you have publications or patents that extent the content of the resume.
• Don’t include total number of years work experience, such as “Over 20 years in _ _ _ _”
• Don’t slap a resume together for the sake of getting it done. You cannot take it back once it has been distributed.
• Don’t use personal pronouns like I, me, they, or their. Start sentences with a verb.
• Don’t include dates under Education or training unless you have completed your degree recently.
• Don’t include references or say “References Available Upon Request” at the end of resume.
• Don’t use a personal e-mail address with nicknames or other phrases that may cause a bias. Have a separate email address if possible.
• Don’t include hobbies or other personal information such as height, weight, and marital or familial status.
• End resume with Community Affiliations or Professional Associations section
• Don’t include months of employment only years unless your agency requires months.
• Don’t include a salary history on resume.