How long should my resume be?

How should my resume look?

What is the best format for my resume?

How do I describe my experience in my resume?

Should I tailor my resume for each position?

What is a Cover Letter and is it necessary?

What should I include in a Cover Letter?

What are the basic rules for writing Cover Letters?


How long should my resume be?
Hiring Managers and HR staff are busy people, so don't make the mistake of asking them to read through an unnecessarily long resume. Resumes should be long enough to describe relevant work experience and specific accomplishments in each position, but not so long as to be cumbersome. List your hobbies and interests only if you can relate them to the position for which you are applying. The phrase “References Available Upon Request” is not necessary; employers assume you have references. More resume design tips & resume sampe >

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How should my resume look?
Your resume is the first impression you'll make on a potential employer and the resume is more than what you say; appearance counts as well.

Make your resume easy on the eyes:

• Don't cram your text onto the page.
• Separate employers and jobs clearly.
• Use simple, easy to read fonts like Times, Arial, Tahoma, or other true type fonts. (Unusual or exotic font styles don’t always display properly and can look unprofessional.)
• Use standard, non-textured, fine-grained paper in white or ivory. Textured and dark colored paper does not copy well and the employer will make copies for other participants in the hiring process.
• Double and triple check your spelling and grammar! We cannot stress this enough!

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What is the best format for my resume?
In almost all cases, a chronological resume format is best; it requires less deciphering and outlines your career progression. An objective that highlights your accomplishments and summarizes how you can benefit a potential employer is a good opening if it applies directly to the position for which you are applying. Following the objective, your experience, education and professional certifications should be discussed.

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How do I describe my experience in my resume?
When describing your work experience, remember that potential employers need to know what you have accomplished in each position to have an idea of what you can do for them. Describe your accomplishments in such a way that you provide the results as well. Telling someone that you "improved warehouse efficiency" doesn't say much. Telling them that you "reduced overtime costs by 20%" does.

Short, bulleted statements, are best. Avoid long, complex paragraphs or narratives describing your experience. Begin each bullet point with action verbs such as "developed," "managed," or "designed". Avoid using “I” statements, as they may give the impression you aren’t a team player.

Keep in mind there is a difference between making the most of your experience and exaggerating or falsifying it. A falsified resume can be easily spotted by a potential employer and if it doesn't prevent you from getting the job offer up front, it can most certainly cost you the job later on.

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Should I tailor my resume for each position?
ABSOLUTELY. If you are pursuing more than one type of job opening, customize your resume accordingly. Highlight experience that is relevant to the job. Altering a summary or objective statement is also a good way to accomplish this.

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What is a Cover Letter and is it necessary?
A cover letter is an introduction, a sales pitch, and a proposal for further action all in one. It should not just summarize your resume, but highlight the aspects of your background that will be most relevant to the reader. A cover letter also demonstrates that you can organize your thoughts and express yourself clearly and appropriately. In other words, it reflects your communication skills and, to some extent, your personality.

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What should I include in a Cover Letter?
We suggest you keep the following topics and ideas in mind when writing a cover letter:

• What are three to five qualities that you would bring to this employer or this job? (If responding to a job ad, these qualities should be the job requirements mentioned in the ad.)
• Match your experience to the job. What are at least two specific accomplishments you can mention that are directly related to the requirements of the job?
• Why do you want to work for this particular organization or department?

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What are the basic rules for writing Cover Letters?
Following are ten basic rules for writing effective cover letters:

• Tailor your letter as much as possible to the target reader and industry.
• Talk about what you can do for the employer, not what they can do for you.
• Convey focused career goals.
• Don't say anything negative.
• Don’t ramble.
• Back up statements with examples.
• Don't write more than one page.
• Check, recheck and triple check your letter for errors.
• Ask for other opinions of your letter before you send it.
• Keep easily accessible copies of all letters you send so that you can follow up on them.

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