Resume Content

To write an effective resume, include the following information on your resume.

Contact Information

Should include:

First and last name
Complete street address
City, state and zip code
Daytime phone number
Alternative phone number (if applicable)
Email address (if you check it every day)

Things to consider:

Make sure your email address is business appropriate. The best option is to use your name without any numbers (i.e. tinamoore@yahoo.com).
Make sure your voice mail is business appropriate. There should be no music, profanity or children on your voice mail option. Keep it short and business-like.
If you have a ring-back tone, make sure it is business appropriate. This will play into their opinion/first impression of you.
Be sure your phone number is typed correctly.
The font size of your name should be 4 to 8 points larger than the rest of your text.
This information should appear in exactly the same format at the top of each page in your application packet.

Objective

The objective should be very short and does not need to be a complete sentence. An ideal objective tells the employer exactly what you are applying for. A good way to accomplish this is to use the title of the position you are interested in.

Example:

Objective: Customer Service Representative at company XYZ.

Summary of Qualifications

The summary of qualifications section is your opportunity to really shine. This section should include 5-8 bullet points of the most important information an employer should know about you. Speak to the specific skills and qualifications you have that make you the perfect candidate for the job. For example, if you have previous experience in the field or specialized training in a certain aspect of the job, list it here. Once again, use bullet points that begin with action verbs. Determine what you have to offer that the other candidates don’t and use that to your advantage.

Speak fluent conversational Spanish
Type 70 words per minute
CPR certified through May 2009
Highly organized and pay special attention to details
Enthusiastic and motivational when assisting patients during rehabilitation exercises

Education

In general, I recommend that people do not include their high school on their resume. Once college coursework has begun, the high school information is not as important. In addition, it may give the reader more information than you want them to know.

Be sure to spell the name of your college(s) correctly. Lake Land College is three words and does not include “community.” This is important. Think about the impression you are making if you don’t know how to spell the name of the college you attended.

The main information in this section will include the name of the college, city and state where it is located, the degree you are working toward and the program of study you are in and your expected graduation date.

Bullet points in this section could include your GPA (if 3.0 or above), clubs and organization you are involved with and special awards or recognition you have received.

Experience

This section is very important because it not only tells the reader where you worked, but gives you the chance to really sell your skills.

The main information should include the company name, city and state where it is/was located, title of the position you held and dates of when you worked there. The dates should include month and year of the beginning and end of your employment.

Your bullet points are critical in this section. They should begin with action verbs, of course, so make sure your list is handy when you start writing. Include five to seven bullet points per job. If at all possible, create bullet points that speak to skills and responsibilities that will also be needed in the job you are applying for. Be sure that the bullet points state what you did, not the position you held.

Examples:

Provided exceptional front-line customer service.
Prepared information packets to be mailed to potential students.
Completed inventory control paperwork at the end of each shift.
Stocked shelves and tracked inventory needs.
Answered multi-line phone system and directed callers to appropriate personnel.
Reconciled cash drawer at the end of shift.
Developed and maintained Excel spreadsheets to track office expenditures.
Accepted customer payments and provided correct change.
Typed documents and input data using Microsoft Word, Excel and Access.

What not to do:

Don’t write two word bullet points.
Avoid using the word “assisted.” Focus on what you actually did.
Don’t use big words trying to sound smarter. It will come across as fake and you run the risk of using the word inappropriately.
Don’t repeat the same bullet point for multiple positions.
Don’t borrow your friend’s bullet points. Each individual is unique.

Additional Headings

There are several additional headings that can be included on your resume. Some of these include: Additional Training, Volunteer Experience and Cooperative or Internship Experience. You must consider your personal situation and determine if any of the additional headings are appropriate for you. Just remember to format these sections in the same way you do the rest of your resume.