Resume Resources:   Structure And Presentation

Your resume should be well written, well organized and visually appealing. A sloppy resume prompts the question, "If this person can’t be bothered to create a top-quality resume while looking for work, what kind of work would they do if they were hired?"

It is easy to discard a resume that is unattractive. Especially when the reader has a large stack of resumes to screen in order to determine who will be granted an interview.

Following are some guidelines to follow as you structure your resume. Remember that your resume should always be reflective of the person behind the words. You need to be comfortable with the information being provided. You must be able to discuss each element if required to do so in an interview.

Length: There are varying opinions on the perfect length for a resume. Most resources suggest keeping your resume to two pages maximum. If a third page is required, ensure that it provides relevant information in support of your employment objective.

White space: Your resume should make good use of the white space on a page. Leave lots of space for margins and between paragraphs. Use bold headings to separate different sections and bullets to highlight key points. Short concise statements are easier to read than longer sentences.

Paper: Use standard 81/2" x 11" paper that is of good quality stock. It should be white, ivory, off-white or beige in colour. Do not use a dark/neon colour or a pattern paper (i.e. marbled) it does not photocopy well. Cover letters and envelopes should match your resume in colour and typeface for an overall professional look.

Printing: Whenever possible use a laser printer to produce a copy of your resume. A resume that is typed on a computer is easy to change, update and store. If you don’t own a laser printer, find someone who does or take your disk into a desktop publishing shop to be reproduced.

Fonts: Stick to a standard typeface such as Times, Arial, or Rockwell. It is easy to read and makes the resume format look clean and professional. Do not use fancy scripts, calligraphy and other unusual typefaces that are hard on the eyes, and don’t create a businesslike impression.

Undamaged: Never submit a resume that has been damaged. That means no coffee stains, pen marks or ink smears. Never send a resume that has been crumpled or torn in any way.

Accuracy: Check your spelling and grammar carefully to ensure that there are no errors. If you find a mistake on your resume, re-do the entire document. Never make any corrections in pen or pencil or use whiteout to cover over an error. One misspelled word could eliminate your resume from further consideration.

Be brief: Use words efficiently, eliminating unnecessary words or sentences. Statements should be short, concise and focused, using a minimum number of words to convey exactly what you want to say.

Write in first person without the pronoun: Do not use the first person pronoun "I" when writing your resume. For example, use "coordinated" rather than "I coordinated".

Use action verbs: Strong action-oriented words best describe your accomplishments and competencies. Remember to write your statement using past tense.

Key words for position: Look for key words in the job description or job ad, and use similar, or the very same, words in your resume skill summary. Link yourself as strongly as possible to the potential employer by emphasizing how your competencies and accomplishments are relevant to the position, and your career objective.

Job titles: Ensure that the job title you use can be easily understood by your reader. If you are moving outside of your current industry but are applying for a similar position in another industry, translate your job title into one that is recognized within the new industry. Example – Control Centre Associate in the telecommunications industry is a Dispatcher in the trucking industry.