7 ‘MUST-DO’ TIPS FOR CONSTRUCTING YOUR RESUME

Putting together your resume is one of the most important parts of your job search, and as a result, it should NOT be overlooked.  It’s the crucial first step of your search, and inattention to detail can ultimately derail that search before it’s even begun.
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The construction of your resume involves both the information it contains and also the way in which that information is put together.  Strive to avoid an oversight in either of these areas.

Below are seven “must-do” tips for constructing your resume:
1. Be 100% honest.  This would seem like a “no-brainer,” but you would be surprised by how many people are not truthful on their resume.  Being dishonest in even a small matter can have negative consequences.
2. Keep it to two (or maybe two) pages in length.  Your resume needs to be filled with pertinent information, yes, but it should NOT be three or four pages long.  Company officials simply are not going to read it past a certain point.
3. Include graduation dates.  If you earned a college or university degree, list the type of degree andthe date that you graduated.  If you attended a college, but didn’t graduate, indicate that, as well.
4. Account for time not working.  Did you “take time off” after high school or college?  Did a health problem prevent you from working at some point?  Whatever the case, be sure to document the reason for any gap in your employment history.
5. Include ALL jobs.  If you omit jobs, this will also create a gap in your resume, which will still have to be explained.  Even if you believe the job was unimportant or not relevant to the position for which you’re applying, include it, anyway.
6. Include the specific dates of employment.  This means listing both the month and the year that you started a job and also finished it.  This level of detail eliminates any doubt about how long you actually worked at a company.
7. Check it for both spelling and grammar.  Once again, this seems like a “no-brainer,” but people submit resumes all the time that contain these types of errors.  Use spell-check, read and re-read your resume, and then have other people read it.

Use the list above and check it against your current resume.  How well does your resume stand up?  Do changes need to be made?  What are those changes?

The construction of your resume is the foundation of your job search.  Pay careful attention to it, follow the proper guidelines, and position yourself for career growth and success.