How to Write a Masterpiece of a Resume

EDUCATION

List education in reverse chronological order – degrees or licenses first, followed by certificates and advanced training. Set degrees apart so they are easily seen. Put in boldface whatever will be most impressive. Don’t include any details about college except your major and distinctions or awards you have won, unless you are still in college or just recently graduated. Include grade-point average only if over 3.4. List selected coursework if this will help convince the reader of your qualifications for the targeted job.

It is documented that employers regularly review social media to see if there are reasons not to hire an applicant. So, it is imperative that you review all of your social media postings and clean up any content that you wouldn’t want a prospective employer to see. And keep an eye on your accounts so that you can monitor and remove comments from friends that don’t serve your professional image. Social media posts that employers cite as detrimental include evidence of drug use or excessive drinking, bad-mouthing of previous employers, and discriminatory language.

CONSISTENCY

Your resume must be error-free. There are no spelling errors, no typos. No grammar, syntax, or punctuation errors. There are no errors of fact. Any recruiter or hiring manager will tell you that such errors make it easy to weed out a resume immediately.

• Be unduly modest. You are selling yourself, period.
• Wing it. Real preparation and homework is required – no matter how lucky you’ve been in the past.
• Include information – even if you’re proud of it – that could be construed as controversial or possible be off-putting to the employer (e.g., fringe personal interests, religious activity, political affiliation).
• List everything you’ve ever done. It’s better to leave an employer a little curious and more apt to interview you.
• Include salary information. It is appropriate for you to provide this information only when asked.
• Mention reasons for leaving jobs. You can have tactful, professional reasons ready for interviews.
• Include references. Provide them when requested, and be sure your references know that an inquiry is on the way.
• Try to be funny or cute – no matter how great your personality, these things don’t translate on paper.
• Include every single piece of information about yourself – this is not your resume’s job. If the employer wants to know more about you, they’ll ask you for an interview.
• Get wordy. Don’t use three examples when one will suffice.
• Be hyperbolic. Don’t use more than one power word or adjective in one sentence.
• Underestimate the power of reading the job posting carefully and doing all of your homework. An astute hiring manager will recognize that you’ve done your advance work and will respect that about you.