Creating a professional, concise resume that sets you apart from the crowd can help you get your foot in the door. To help yourself stand out, focus on your unique talents and skills. Ask yourself about the problems that existed in your previous workplaces, the action you took to resolve each problem and the results of your actions, says Yana Parker, author of "The Damn Good Resume Guide." Incorporate this information into your resume to portray yourself as someone who identifies problems and tackles them head on to the benefit of your prospective employers.
Step 1
Keep your resume one to two pages in length. If your work experience is limited, one page will suffice. If you've held numerous jobs and can't list them on one page, use two pages. Do not provide detailed descriptions of positions that date back more than eight to ten years unless they add crucial information to your skills and experience.
Step 2
Include a professional email address. "Never use a personal email that could call into question your professionalism such as 'partygirl7' or 'hacker12,' and never include the email address you use under a current employer," says Barbara Safani, author of "Happy About My Resume." When creating a professional email address, use a combination of your first and last name and avoid long strings of numbers or letters.
Step 3
List your home address. Leaving out your address can make employers question whether you live in the state or city in which they are hiring. If you're concerned about privacy, obtain a post office box and list its address on your resume.
Step 4
Start your accomplishment statements with action verbs such as "delivered," "expanded," "improved," "doubled," "procured," "promoted" and "revitalized," Safani advises. Avoid the use of phrases such as "responsible for" or "duties included," which are vague and tend not to make much of an impression on hiring managers.
Step 5
Use a simple, clean font such as Helvetica, Arial or Times Roman. Avoid using more than one font, especially if one font is serif and the other is sans serif, for example, Helvetica and Times Roman, respectively. To highlight key resume areas, use a mixture of italics, plain and bold type styles.
Step 6
Make sure your resume is free of errors, typos, slang and technical jargon. If in doubt, hire a professional resume writer or an editor to clean up your resume so that it shows you and your skills in the best possible light.
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