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RESUME WRITING

We understand writing your resume can sometimes be frustrating and confusing . . . especially if you have not updated it for awhile (hey -- you've been working!).

There are no "perfect" formats since each company's hiring manager may like a different style. Yet, after reviewing thousands of resumes, we have found the following tips to be helpful.

1) Top 1/3 Rule -- Cover up the bottom 2/3 of your resume. Now, looking at only the top 1/3, would someone else clearly understand what role you want and what makes you qualified for this role? Recruiters and managers review so many resumes they can't look in-depth at each one.

2) Clear and Focused OBJECTIVE and SKILLS section -- In your resume's top 1/3, be clear on what you want in a one-sentence Objective line (what job title/role? based on what experience?). The Skills section should be a bullet-point list of your skills that match the desired position's experience/technical requirements. When compared against many resumes, having a strong "checklist" of skills at the top gets you past the initial screen.

3) Company description -- Don't assume the reader knows what products/services your previous company sold. Provide a 1-2 line summary of what the company makes/sells and the URL (www.oldemployer.com) so your prospective employer can obtain more information on where you used to work.

4) Bulleted points -- People (and your message) get lost in paragraph narratives.

5) Clear work history progression -- Make sure the dates line up and are easy to follow. If you have had several job changes, be sure to state the "reason for leaving" for each so you are not labeled a "job-hopper."

6) E-mail address -- Be sure to include on your resume. If you don't have a non-work e-mail address, consider getting one from one of the many free e-mail services accessible via the web, such as hotmail.com. Email accounts at work are not a good place to receive e-mail from a potential employer or recruiter since it is not private.

7) Results -- Past performance is the best indicator of future performance. Therefore, list what you have accomplished, delivered and achieved in your past jobs and what roles you worked on with past teams. Facts and statistics go a lot further than saying you are a "hard worker."