Have in Mind:

• Don't lie, you’ll get caught: Never make up a previous job or a skill, because later on you will get caught.

• Keep it short: try to fit it to one page if possible. You don’t have to list absolutely everything, just the most important accomplishments and details avoiding anything that is not directly related to the desired job. The length should be related to your years of experiences, for example if you have less than 5 years of experience, it should limit to a page, however if you have more than that it could extend a little bit more.

• Describe your responsibilities: For each job you post on your resume, you must describe what your duties were. Use action words, not in past tense. Example: organizing, completing, researching.

• Be impressive: write down anything that’s really remarkable, whether it’s a course, a computer skill, or something you’ve done in volunteer work, and put them in the right sections (Courses can be under Education, computer skills in a special section and volunteer work under “Leadership Experience” or such).

• Pay attention to detail: Use high-quality paper and a laser printer; use an attractive format and classic font. Make enough space in between each section of the resume.

• Don’t end it with “references available upon request”: Have a couple references ready, and make sure you ask people you’d like to list for their permission in advance.

• Review, then send: Have other people evaluate your resume before you send it, preferably by a professional or a Career Development counselor.

• Proofread: If your resume has a typo or grammatical errors, it’s will be sent straight into the trash bin. Why? Because the reviewer will think that if you make a mistake in something so important and short, you will probably make a whole lot of mistakes with ordinary things.

• Prioritize: Place the most vital points first. Chances are your resume will not be read in its totality. Make sure that what’s most impressive comes first in each section, so that it’s more liable to be read.

• Don’t use pronouns: Make your sentences short and effective. Start them with actions.

Doing it Right

• Try to keep it simple and classic, avoid crazy fonts or strange colors, it should only be easy to read.

• If you have little experience, or not experience at all, do not hesitate; take advantage of everything you have done so far, no matter how little. It could even be baby-sitting or lawn mowing, volunteering, extra-curricular activities and courses. Just remember to be able to somewhat relate them to your desired position.

• Writing an “Objective” or “Summary” is highly recommended; it resumes what you are really looking for in just a couple of lines. This statement is useful to gain the reader’s attention, so make sure to think it trough. Keep it short, concise and informative.

• Remember to always put the dates in chronological order, starting from present and going backwards.

Download the formats
Click on the document of your interest to download it: