What makes a good resume?
A good resume has the following characteristics:
- Concise and to the point
- Only includes information relevant to the employer’s needs
- Is well-organized and uses a font that is legible and professional (Arial, Tahoma, and Sans-Serif are good choices). Include headers and bullets to divide content where applicable.
- Includes information in a logical and intuitive format, with contact information easy to find.
On the subject of resumes, there seems to be an unending discussion of whether you should or shouldn’t have a one-page resume. The followings are some of the comments I have personally heard: “Well, Joe Blow (car salesman) said I should have a one-page resume.” “Well, I read a book and it said you should have a one page resume.” “I can’t really go into what I really did because if I did, it’d take more than one page on my resume.” “Gosh, I wish I could put my job at IBM on my resume but if I did it’d make my resume more than one page, and I was told to never make the resume more than one page long.” “I’m confused, should my resume be more than one page? I feel like it should, but I don’t want to break the rules.” Or, here’s another comment, “People just don’t read resumes that are longer than one page.” I have heard some more, but we can start with these. So what’s the answer? There is no scientific answer about whether a one-page resume is right or wrong. It all depends on who you are
• Your resume should not be overly long. If you have been in the work-field for 5-10 years, your resume should be one page. If you are a mid-career candidate, two pages. • Make your resume easy to read by using bullets, indents, bold or italics. Avoid unconventional (or unprofessional) fonts. Don’t add photos or graphics. • Make sure that the dates are clear and without gaps. • Be organized. Focus on your previous jobs first. Start with the most recent and work backwards. Leave off the jobs that you had when you were in high school or college if those have been years ago. • Be accurate and honest about the information that you include. Employers do verify the information that you include. Don’t exaggerate. • List the job duties that you held. But make it interesting. Focus on your accomplishments. • If you are applying for a specific job, make sure to highlight your skills and abilities that match the requirements of the job. Don’t assume that the reader will know that just because you
