44 Resume Writing Tips

12/8/2016 44ResumeWritingTips
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44 Resume Writing Tips

By Daniel Scocco
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Having a solid and eective resume can greatly improve

your chances of landing that dream job. That is beyond discussion. How does one make sure that his Categories
resume is top notch and bullet proof, however? There are several websites with tips around the web, but
most bring just a handful of them. We wanted to put them all together in a single place, and that is what Business Writing Mistakes
you will nd below: 44 resume writing tips.
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Writing Basics Usage Review
1. Know the purpose of your resume
Some people write a resume as if the purpose of the document was to land a job. As a result they end up
with a really long and boring piece that makes them look like desperate job hunters. The objective of your
resume is to land an interview, and the interview will land you the job (hopefully!).
2. Back up your qualities and strengths
Instead of creating a long (and boring) list with all your qualities (e.g., disciplined, creative, problem solver)
try to connect them with real life and work experiences. In other words, you need to back these qualities
and strengths up, else it will appear that you are just trying to inate things.
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3. Make sure to use the right keywords
40 Yiddish Words You Should Know
Most companies (even smaller ones) are already using digital databases to search for candidates. This
means that the HR department will run search queries based on specic keywords. Guess what, if your 10 Rules for Writing Numbers
resume doesnt have the keywords related to the job you are applying for, you will be out even before the
game starts. Vocabulary Test 1
These keywords will usually be nouns. Check the job description and related job ads for a clue on what the Passed vs Past
employer might be looking for. You can read more about resume keywords on the article Tapping the
Writing a Reference Letter
Power of Keywords to Enhance Your Resumes Eectiveness.
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4. Use eective titles
44 Resume Writing Tips
Like it or not, employers will usually make a judgment about your resume in 5 seconds. Under this time
frame the most important aspect will be the titles that you listed on the resume, so make sure they grab Among vs. Amongst
the attention. Try to be as descriptive as possible, giving the employer a good idea about the nature of your
past work experiences. For example: 6 Foreign Expressions You Should Know
Let the Word Do the Work

Bad title: Accounting
Good title: Management of A/R and A/P and Recordkeeping How to Format a US Business Letter
5. Proofread it twice That vs. Which
It would be dicult to emphasize the importance of proofreading your resume. One small typo and your 50 Incorrect Pronunciations To Avoid
chances of getting hired could slip. Proofreading it once is not enough, so do it twice, three times or as
many as necessary. If you dont know how to proofread eectively, here are 8 tips that you can use. The Writing Process
http://www.dailywritingtips.com/resumewritingtips/ 1/16
6. Use bullet points
Inquire vs. Enquire
No employer will have the time (or patience) to read long paragraphs of text. Make sure, therefore, to use 25 Pieces of Writing Software
bullet points and short sentences to describe your experiences, educational background and professional
objectives. 12 Greek Words You Should Know
7. Where are you going? Cannot or Can Not?
What Does Sic Mean?

Including professional goals can help you by giving employers an idea of where you are going, and how
you want to arrive there. You dont need to have a special section devoted to your professional objectives,
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but overall the resume must communicate it. The question of whether or not to highlight your career
objectives on the resume is a polemic one among HR managers, so go with your feeling. If you decide to Wether, Weather, Whether
list them, make sure they are not generic.
34 Writing Tips To Write Better
8. Put the most important information rst
Yours Faithfully or Yours Sincerely?
This point is valid both to the overall order of your resume, as well as to the individual sections. Most of the
Latin Words and Expressions
times your previous work experience will be the most important part of the resume, so put it at the top.
When describing your experiences or skills, list the most important ones rst.
Grammar Test 1
9. Attention to the typography Program vs. Programme
First of all make sure that your fonts are big enough. The smaller you should go is 11 points, but 12 is Writing Prompts 101
probably safer. Do not use capital letters all over the place, remember that your goal is to communicate a
message as fast and as clearly as possible. Arial and Times are good choices. 7 Essay Writing Tips To Ace Your Exam
What Is Irony? (With Examples)

10. Do not include no kidding information
100 Beautiful and Ugly Words

There are many people that like to include statements like Available for interview or References available
upon request. If you are sending a resume to a company, it should be a given that you are available for an 7 Grammatical Errors That Aren't
interview and that you will provide references if requested. Just avoid items that will make the employer
think no kidding!
11. Explain the benets of your skills

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Merely stating that you can do something will not catch the attention of the employer. If you manage to
explain how it will benet his company, and to connect it to tangible results, then you will greatly improve
your chances.
12. Avoid negativity
Do not include information that might sound negative in the eyes of the employer. This is valid both to
your resume and to interviews. You dont need to include, for instance, things that you hated about your
last company.
13. Achievements instead of responsibilities
Resumes that include a long list of responsibilities included are plain boring, and not ecient in selling
yourself. Instead of listing responsibilities, therefore, describe your professional achievements.
14. No pictures
Sure, we know that you are good looking, but unless you are applying for a job where the physical traits are
very important (e.g., modeling, acting and so on), and unless the employer specically requested it, you
should avoid attaching your picture to the resume.
15. Use numbers
This tip is a complement to the 13th one. If you are going to describe your past professional achievements,
it would be a good idea to make them as solid as possible. Numbers are your friends here. Dont merely
mention that you increased the annual revenues of your division, say that you increased them by $100,000,
by 78%, and so on.
16. One resume for each employer
One of the most common mistakes that people make is to create a standard resume and send it to all the
job openings that they can nd. Sure it will save you time, but it will also greatly decrease the chances of
landing an interview (so in reality it could even represent a waste of time). Tailor your resume for each
employer. The same point applies to your cover letters.
17. Identify the problems of the employer
A good starting point to tailor your resume for a specic employer is to identify what possible problems he
might have at hand. Try to understand the market of the company you are applying for a job, and identify
what kind of diculties they might be going through. After that illustrate on your resume how you and
your skills would help to solve those problems.
18. Avoid age discrimination
It is illegal to discriminate people because of their age, but some employers do these considerations
nonetheless. Why risk the trouble? Unless specically requested, do not include your age on your resume.
19. You dont need to list all your work experiences
If you have job experiences that you are not proud of, or that are not relevant to the current opportunity,
you should just omit them. Mentioning that you used to sell hamburgers when you were 17 is probably not
going to help you land that executive position.
20. Go with what you got
If you never had any real working experience, just include your summer jobs or volunteer work. If you dont
have a degree yet, mention the title and the estimated date for completion. As long as those points are
relevant to the job in question, it does not matter if they are ocial or not.
21. Sell your sh
Remember that you are trying to sell yourself. As long as you dont go over the edge, all the marketing
eorts that you can put in your resume (in its content, design, delivery method and so on) will give you an
advantage over the other candidates.
22. Dont include irrelevant information
Irrelevant information such as political aliation, religion and sexual preference will not help you. In fact it
might even hurt your chances of landing an interview. Just skip it.
23. Use Mr. and Ms. if appropriate
If you have a gender neutral name like Alex or Ryan make sure to include the Mr. or Ms. prex, so that
employers will not get confused about your gender.
24. No lies, please
Seems like a no brainer, but you would be amused to discover the amount of people that lie in their
resumes. Even small lies should be avoided. Apart from being wrong, most HR departments do
background checks these days, and if you are buster it might ruin your credibility for good.
25. Keep the salary in mind
The image you will create with your resume must match the salary and responsibility level that you are
aiming for.
26. Analyze job ads
You will nd plenty of useful information on job ads. Analyze no only the ad that you will be applying for,
but also those from companies on the same segment or oering related positions. You should be able to
identify what prole they are looking for and how the information should be presented.
27. Get someone else to review your resume
Even if you think you resume is looking kinky, it would be a good idea to get a second and third opinion
about it. We usually become blind to our own mistakes or way of reasoning, so another people will be in a
good position to evaluate the overall quality of your resume and make appropriate suggestions.
28. One or two pages
The ideal length for a resume is a polemic subject. Most employers and recruiting specialists, however, say
that it should contain one or two pages at maximum. Just keep in mind that, provided all the necessary
information is there, the shorter your resume, the better.
29. Use action verbs
A very common advice to job seekers is to use action verbs. But what are they? Action verbs are basically
verbs that will get noticed more easily, and that will clearly communicate what your experience or
achievement were. Examples include managed, coached, enforced and planned. Here you can nd a
complete list of action verbs divided by skill category.
30. Use a good printer
If you are going to use a paper version of your resume, make sure to use a decent printer. Laser printers
usually get the job done. Plain white paper is the preferred one as well.
31. No hobbies
Unless you are 100% sure that some of your hobbies will support you candidacy, avoid mentioning them. I
know you are proud of your swimming team, but share it with your friends and not with potential
employers.
32. Update your resume regularly
It is a good idea to update your resume on a regular basis. Add all the new information that you think is
relevant, as well as courses, training programs and other academic qualications that you might receive
along the way. This is the best way to keep track of everything and to make sure that you will not end up
sending an obsolete document to the employer.
33. Mention who you worked with
If you have reported or worked with someone that is well known in your industry, it could be a good idea
to mention it on the resume. The same thing applies to presidents and CEOs. If you reported to or worked
directly with highly ranked executives, add it to the resume.
34. No scattered information
Your resume must have a clear focus. If would cause a negative impression if you mentioned that one year
you were studying drama, and the next you were working as an accountant. Make sure that all the
information you will include will work towards a unied image. Employers like decided people.
35. Make the design ow with white space
Do not jam your resume with text. Sure we said that you should make your resume as short and concise as
possible, but that refers to the overall amount of information and not to how much text you can pack in a
single sheet of paper. White space between the words, lines and paragraphs can improve the legibility of
your resume.
36. Lists all your positions
If you have worked a long time for the same company (over 10 years) it could be a good idea to list all the
dierent positions and roles that you had during this time separately. You probably had dierent
responsibilities and developed dierent skills on each role, so the employer will like to know it.
37. No jargon or slang
It should be common sense, but believe me, it is not. Slang should never be present in a resume. As for
technical jargon, do not assume that the employer will know what you are talking about. Even if you are
sending your resume to a company in the same segment, the person who will read it for the rst time
might not have any technical expertise.
38. Careful with sample resume templates
There are many websites that oer free resume templates. While they can help you to get an idea of what
you are looking for, do not just copy and paste one of the most used ones. You certainly dont want to look
just like any other candidate, do you?
39. Create an email proof formatting
It is very likely that you will end up sending your resume via email to most companies. Apart from having a
Word document ready to go as an attachment, you should also have a text version of your resume that
does not look disgured in the body of the email or in online forms. Attachments might get blocked by
spam lters, and many people just prefer having the resume on the body of the email itself.
40. Remove your older work experiences
If you have been working for 20 years or more, there is no need to have 2 pages of your resume listing all
your work experiences, starting with the job at the local coee shop at the age of 17! Most experts agree
that the last 15 years of your career are enough.
41. No fancy design details
Do not use a colored background, fancy fonts or images on your resume. Sure, you might think that the
little owers will cheer up the document, but other people might just throw it away at the sight.
42. No pronouns
You resume should not contain the pronouns I or me. That is how we normally structure sentences, but
since your resume is a document about your person, using these pronouns is actually redundant.
43. Dont forget the basics
The rst thing on your resume should be your name. It should be bold and with a larger font than the rest
of the text. Make sure that your contact details are clearly listed. Secondly, both the name and contact
details should be included on all the pages of the resume (if you have more than one).
44. Consider getting professional help
If you are having a hard time to create your resume, or if you are receiving no response whatsoever from
companies, you could consider hiring a professional resume writing service. There are both local and
online options are available, and usually the investment will be worth the money.
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87 Responses to 44 Resume Writing Tips
D.F. Rucci on May 19, 2008 11:03 pm
Thanks for these tips! Good work!
Deb Dib on May 20, 2008 2:24 pm
Great blog! I only just found you and I will certainly be following your posts and make my colleagues
aware as well.
This is one of the most relevant and succinct resume how-to lists Ive seen. And as a certied resume
writer/coach/personal brand strategist with nearly 20 years in the industry, Ive seen a lot of how-to lists!
Youve really distilled resume best-practices for your readers.
As a follow-on, Id like to share a trend were seeing now what Ive coined as the BlackBerry eect for
resumes (perhaps one could call it the Twitter-eect as well). Information is being received and digested
in ever smaller bites and attention spans are shrinking as multi-tasking and mobile messaging grow.
Resumes need to work in this environment.
To capture attention in all this noise, resumes must follow suit, be easily readable on mobile devices (or
by harried multi-tasking execs, recruiters, and HR folks) and speak of only what is necessary to
communicate value to the target.
In this new brand of resume, impact counts far more than responsible for (always did) but now it is even
more important than most accomplishments. Decide the biggest thing youve done in each position and
what it meant short- and long-term. Then support it with critical accomplishments (dollarized, of course)
and be done with it.
Bottom-line for the resume-writing public? If you dont have a value prop (impact statement) that will t
on Twitter (140 characters) youre not ready to write your resume! Clarity is power.
Clever Dude on May 20, 2008 2:25 pm
Having interviewed a few fellow IT workers, Im amazed at how many pages Ive received in their resumes.
People who have worked in IT the same or less years as I cant limit their experience to just 2 pages max.
Why would I want to scroll through 7-8 pages, sometimes more, to nd out what Im going to ask anyway
during an interview.
Be concise. Be honest. Be balanced (not too cocky, not too humble)
Kayce on May 20, 2008 2:52 pm
Number 18 mentions that you should only include your age if it is requested. They should never ask your
age!!! There are many questions that are, by law, forbid from being asked by a potential employer. Here is
a sample list: http://jobsearch.about.com/od/interviewsnetworking/a/illegalinterv.htm
Sumesh on May 20, 2008 5:02 pm
Awesome tips, Daniel, and it is a really long post. I guess this is how you got employed by you know-who.
Tom Paine on May 20, 2008 8:34 pm
Just a few comments:
17: I would not go out on a limb and identify problems the company might be having. You might be
pointing out problems out to someone who is reviewing your resome, that someone being responsible
for the problems. Dont volunteer this kind of information.
28. Yes, do keep it short. Ive had resumes that were submitted in fat three-ring binders listing everything
the person did that was job related including all training taken for all jobs (copies of certicates included).
Anal!
Basically you want to keep it short (absolutely no more than two pages) and keep your opinions to
yourself. Opinions on resumes grease the way to the trash bin. If you are called for an oral interview dont
volunteer your opinion on problems you perceive unless you are clearly asked. If youre asked whether
theres something youd like to add (this as the interview is nearing the end) be optimistic and do not see
problems that you think you can x.
If yourer asked to lunch, dont drink. Even if the prospective employer does. Its a test.
Tom Paine on May 20, 2008 9:16 pm
Please excuse misspelling and other probs. assoc. with hasty writing on last submit.
Deborah on May 20, 2008 11:01 pm
I appreciate the valuable information outlined here, and I know that it is useful, but I think the entire
I appreciate the valuable information outlined here, and I know that it is useful, but I think the entire
resume system is broken. What we really need to know is how to get past the gate-keepers.
My husband spent three months job hunting. Only two companies out of two dozen bothered to
acknowledge receiving his resume, and they were all (at the companies request) email submissions. How
hard is it to auto-respond to an emailed resume?
Every resume was tailored for each company. A professional told him that the human resources
employees who look at resumes spend about 15 seconds on each one. They dont read them; they dont
care. They despise the entire process.
So how do you get past HR and to the person who needs a new employee in the department and is
forced to rely on HR?
Tom Paine on May 21, 2008 3:31 am
This may help Deborah who wrote above here.
HR may look at hundreds of apps for a position. In a sense they are automatons when it comes to
analyzing (looking at) a resume.
HR may have written the recruitment doc. or at least trimmed it to its satisfaction.
When HR looks at an app. they will also have the ad or position description right in front of them. they will
constantly refer to it. If they dont see what they have written they are not inclined to read it with any
fervor.
Trick here is to mirror what they have written. Use their words up front to catch their eye and expand.
Focus on what they have written and say it (write it) again adding what you need to. Repeat what HR says
at least once or twice or even more-but dont be obnoxious.
Bottom line here is make it easy for the HR people to hold and read your resume. they may have it in
hand and they will be thinking Where does this t into what we have written?
Key words, key words, and brevity. Mirror the ad. Make it easy for the reader. Remember, this is work for
somone else. They want to forward a resume for consideration that they have been able see straight o
meets their criteria.
And a note: Resumes are not vetted at this point. but do be honest. Be stark, mirror the ad, two pages
and a very brief cover will be well received.
HR deals with minimums. Minimally acceptable resumes will be passed on to the oce hiring. Then that
oce will begin the process all over again. It wiil need to sort through and evaluate resumes. But you only
needed to write the resume once.
Mirror, add meat, be brief and good luck.
(Forgive any typos, etc.-watching the election returns.)
Deborah on May 21, 2008 2:21 pm
Tom Painethank you for the information. I appreciate that you took the time to write more. Deborah H.
Elaine Basham on May 21, 2008 6:42 pm
Great post and really good tips you really covered all the bases. I agree with Debs comments above
about information needing to be digested in smaller and smaller bites. Basically, in todays world, a
resume needs to tell a potential employer just a few things:
1) who you are (Name, contact info, etc)

2) what you can do (skills/experience/responsibilities)
3) prove it (achievements / contributions quantied whenever possible)
Your story has to be concise, powerful, keyword rich and intriguing enough that whoever is reading it is
compelled to pick up the phone or Twitter you to nd out more.
Jacob from JobMob on May 29, 2008 3:56 pm
Great list, and Debs and Elaines comments are the icing on the cake.
Stumbled this for you, Daniel
ajay on June 05, 2008 6:14 am
fantastic site.thanks
Mary on August 19, 2008 1:42 am
Im confused on #21 Sell Your Fish is that an English expression???
Elizabeth Strauch, MBA on August 27, 2008 2:12 am
Remember when you said to read, and re-read?
Step 26.
Add a t to no.
You will nd plenty of useful information on job ads. Analyze no only the ad that you will be applying for,
but also those from companies on the same segment or oering related positions. You should be able to
identify what prole they are looking for and how the information should be presented.
E. L. Strauch
276 Thorndale Avenue
Elk Grove Village, IL 60007
(847) 228-7269
Alex Wilson on October 09, 2008 8:37 pm
Great site. Keep up the good work. I check it often to sharpen my skills!
letter samples on November 04, 2008 10:20 am
hi,
truly a good and explanatory write up about the resume- a dicult thing to handle correctly.
Would like to see some examples and more such articles.
Rosemary Pillar on November 04, 2008 7:14 pm
You covered all the bases well! I was looking for a way to encourage kids, years away from needing a
resume, to think in ways that will help them focus on the career they want and to present themselves in a
fashion that will allow them to get the jobs they need for that career. Sounds like pretty grown up stu
for 4th grade to 8th graders at a career fair, but in my opinion its pretty late to start thinking in these
terms as a junior or senior in high school.
Dominique Koukol on December 04, 2008 4:47 pm
As a resume writer with an organizational development and human resources background, I have
designed and implemented candidate selection processes for many corporations and have some insight
to oer.
To help you get past the gate keeper you have to keep in mind that in 80% of companies the initial gate
keeper before Human Resources is an electronic resume software screening program.
It helps to know how these work. That is why key words are so important, and really knowing how to
research those key words goes beyond the job description to the company and understanding their
culture and where they are in the business cycle as well. It takes HOMEWORK!
Once you have this information, along with the job posting, you also must understand how the key words
are ranked within the system. For example, industry and job specic key words are ranked higher and
more powerful than general key words.
An example of this could be: Quality Improvement is used across many industries, it is necessary, but
perhaps not as eective as six sigma black belt for process improvement.
The successful and appropriate use of keywords combines several elements. I have written an e-book
which reveals this information and incorporates it with all of the other necessary elements to writing a
resume that gets past the electronic gate keeper if you desire further information. (just click on my name
to access it).
Or if you have other resume related questions you can post them on my new blog at
AskTheResumeCoach.
Heres to your Success,

Heres to your Success,
Dominique Koukol
Tina on January 22, 2009 7:21 pm
Excellent article.
I will surely link it from my new resume website.
Resume Format on February 06, 2009 6:35 pm
Rightly said friend.. All concepts of writing a proper resume without making mistake covered, one thing
one must add is common sense to make a perfect resume with all the above tips..
Kathy OReilly on February 18, 2009 7:19 pm
Great tips! You may also want to include social networking links, particularly where potential employers
can nd you on LinkedIn or follow you on Twitter.
becka on February 19, 2009 12:07 am
great info.. any suggestions for a stay at home mom returning to the real world after 11 years?
Rodney Kesslemen on February 20, 2009 6:32 pm
Thank you I am going to send this to my son and get him to read especially number 10. That has always
been a sore spot when every I look at his resume. The others are great tips too.
Linda C Carlson on March 17, 2009 10:39 pm
What about the other noun/pronouns (name; he, she)? I just read a resume written in the third-person,
and thought it quite an odd delivery. I literally couldnt get past the usage to realize the potential of the
candidate.
Kristen Bennett on April 08, 2009 8:36 pm
Very good article, very comprehensive!
Particularly, the points about avoiding negativity and about updating your information are very good.
Being negative just makes your new potential employer wonder if *you* were the problem at the last job,
and simply copying and pasting your resume will either tell the interviewer that you didnt care enough to
redo the entire thing and freshen it up, or youll simply be lost in the pile. The action verbs and being able
to sell yourself was also an excellent point.
There are more tips particularly focused to writing a resume in this economy here
http://www.job.com/expert-resume-tips-2009
at Job.com, if anyone reading is looking or knows someone whos looking for employment. The site has a
lot of article on related points, and you can just read through, or you can sign-up and post your resume
on their site (its free and theres no subscription or download; nothing like that). I hope it helps!
Wedding Guru on June 29, 2009 6:00 am
These tips helped me to make the perfect resume and I got the job thanks.
vivillou on September 18, 2009 6:03 am
thanks for this helpful blog..got to save some tips for my technical writing students..:-)
Jacob on October 24, 2009 6:27 pm
These tips are very useful. To get your resume just right and have a second set of eyes look at submit it to
procientpaper.com for as low as $3.50 per page.
Our sta of professional editors will:
1. Ensure that your resume uses active voice and uses the most powerful and accurate active verbs.
2. Proofread your Resume for errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation, and adherence to English usage
rules.
3. Make suggestions on arrangement of your Resume, and highlight your best achievements.
4. Cut out excessive words, phrases, or sections that clutter the Resume.
We also edit cover letters. For more information please visit

We also edit cover letters. For more information please visit
http://www.procientpaper.com/coverletterediting.html
Laura Paris on November 16, 2009 6:21 am
its afantastic site. These tips are very useful. it is a really long post.
thanks for your information
Sharon on December 07, 2009 3:20 pm
Really great tips. I like your blog!
Resume Writing Service NZ on January 21, 2010 6:36 am
Great Tips,
One more tip which relates to Number 5. Is to get a friend or family member to proof read your resume
as its easy when you spend an hour or so on your resume to start over looking simple mistakes.
Trisha on January 25, 2010 12:55 am
Very helpful hints. I had a business and now looking for a job in this bad economy. Found a job listing for
a job I would really like to get close to home and that I have skill for. Your tips were very helpful
Annie Matthews on January 25, 2010 9:33 am
This information is helpful. now i need to know how to write a autobiography about myself. my
penmanship is so bad im ashamed of my own writing.
Anonymous on January 26, 2010 1:11 am
Theres a typo in point 24. While your advice is good, that doesnt make you seem very credible.
ukjobsguide on March 11, 2010 9:47 am
Thanks for the interesting post. This sounds like a great start-up idea. A lot of these companies online
dont give the best quality. I look forward to reading more from you in the
Angie on April 09, 2010 11:39 am
Thank you. I am trying to do a resume workshop for the students in my school and I found this very
helpful.
Jeri-Anne Smith on June 08, 2010 4:16 am
Great points there! Also, you should include to not put an cutesy or whatever email address on your
resume.. such as Hottie10@.com
use a professional looking email address.. trust me.. it makes a huge dierence.. one look at Playa69@
.com and your resume is tossed in the trashed without employers even looking at it. They assume you
arent grown up enough or serious for the position.
Christian on July 27, 2010 11:49 pm
Dear friends
Before 2004 I worked in the banking eld as credit department manager.This hapenned before I imigrate
in US.
Since 2004 I am working as a truck driver.I would like to get back in the oce.Any suggestions in writing
my resume?
Line on September 04, 2010 5:36 pm
Thanks for the tips. I am sure I will be able to use some of them. Just want to point out however, there is a
typo in #27
so another people will be in a good position to evaluate the overall quality of your resume and make
appropriate suggestions
Amanda on October 09, 2010 2:44 am

I really appreciate this blog on resume writing! It is useful to so many audiences at so many dierent
I really appreciate this blog on resume writing! It is useful to so many audiences at so many dierent
stages in their careers. You have done a great job at summarizing the best tips for resume writers. They
are easy to understand and very insightful, yet include things that most of us would neglect to think of.
This list is creative and comprehensive. I found it very helpful with tweaking my own resume, and it oers
advice for anyone hoping to stand out! With the competitive economy, I believe that this post is especially
intriguing. Thank you for sharing your tips.
Rashmi Priya on November 12, 2010 10:13 am
The tips mentioned in the article are very realistic and all points have been covered.
Mike DeCarlo on December 09, 2010 12:33 pm
Hey, great info! Im reviewing my resume now!
Wesley Hanna on December 11, 2010 9:52 am
As to keeping o hobbies bad idea! Dont list a hobby if it take space away from more relevant info or
throws you onto a second page, but listing a couple key personal interests has done me well. Did listing
them prevent me from getting interviews? I suppose Ill never know. But once I got to the interview, my
one line of personal interests almost always helped me and I credit the conversations that owed from
that section as instrumental in the jobs Ive landed.
When I was graduating college, a very successful uncle sat me down and helped me prepare for my rst
professional interview. His most important advice was that employers were not going to hire my GPA, my
achievements, or the activities I was involved in. For me to get a job, theyd have to hire me. And that
meant that employers in addition to looking for the most technically qualied candidate were looking
to see if I was somebody that would t in, be fun to work with, and contribute to the culture in a positive
manner.
So about midway through any interview, I usually get a question along the lines of so where do you like
to hike? or do you play guitar in a band or just for fun? And either of those questions lets me put on a
hat thats dierent from aggressive litigator I get to show the interviewer fun guy story teller with an
enriching life. I believe my most important jobs were landed partly because of those conversations.
zero on January 04, 2011 11:37 pm
thank you for that tip it will surely increase the chances of landing a dream job!
roddy on January 05, 2011 1:08 pm
my resume would be crap with these suggestions:

Roddy
Job history:
volunteer work
professional goals:
Pharmacy technology
Charlene on February 10, 2011 1:23 pm
I work in the Workforce Development Industry and I nd this tool to be very helpful for our customers.
We have a great percentage on Monolingual customers and I would like to know if you have this article in
Spanish?
Cheryl on February 21, 2011 2:54 am
May I draw your attention to 2 typos I found? One in #9, when talking about fonts, the smallEST you
should go. And the second on in #24, Im pretty sure that should say if you are BUSTED, not buster. But
otherwise, great tips. I saw a couple things that I wouldnt have thought about doing, so thanks!
@acerlocc13 on March 30, 2011 4:59 pm
well the thing is when you see a little exspectation on the left side of the contraditional partusenter part
of the constatioional parts it will be the same as the tarmanativesomal
S. Musa Mohseni on April 05, 2011 9:29 am
Tanks a lot,
Its very usefull for me.
Andrew on April 06, 2011 12:21 pm
The statement It would be dicult to emphasize the importance of proofreading your resume in point 5
(titled Proofread it twice) appears not to have itself been eectively proofread; emphasize should be
overemphasize.
Sorry if I sound overly critical, but that is irony too delicious to pass up noting.
essay writing on April 19, 2011 6:13 am
Well thats amazing article. I just discovered your website and have to say that I have really enjoyed
reading your blog content. I am looking forward to read your next great article Nice article, thanks fro
the sharing this great and very informative and knowledgeable post with us.
Paul Chernish on May 01, 2011 10:31 pm
What a great list of tips. After 30 years in the industry, I thought I saw them all. Until now! Good work.
anne on May 21, 2011 6:10 pm
I noticed a typo in tip #24.
I also noticed that at least one other person reported it as far back as Jan 2010, and it hasnt been
corrected nearly a year and a half later.
I believe buster should be busted.?
anne on May 21, 2011 6:11 pm
OKtheres also one in #26.
Judy K-R on June 01, 2011 2:02 pm
Awesome tips. So glad Ive stumbled upon the site. After using the same CV and cover letter format for a
bunch of years, Im learning a lot these days from this and other websites, blogs, etc.
I have several questions:

* If we shouldnt use I, whats a work-around? From way-back in grammar school I was taught that
sentences that begin w/ I should never be used back-to-back. So Ive always started any following
sentences w/ a phrase, adverb, etc. Need more input on this though.
* I do not use complete sentences on my CV. I use bullets and start each with a capital letter. Have never
been sure if a period should be used at the end of each.
* I need help in creating a new, non-professional resume. Im losing hope of nding a job in my specic
eld of medical physics, so I need to create a resume for general jobs. Example: an overnight attendant at
an in-house care facility. Any advice from this site and/or bloggers will be appreciated.
* Positions in cancer care are extremely stressful for patients AND sta. Ive used phrases such as a little
dose of humor goes a long way in the clinic. Is this appropriate?
* Has the term, team player been overused? If so, does anyone have suggestions for a substitute?
Im sitting here today tailoring a new resume for a specic company in a related eld. Wish me luck! Ill re-
post if my resume lands me an interview.
Hoping that I havent exceeded any word limit in this comment, I look forward to any and all feedback.
Frances Pippin on June 08, 2011 1:11 pm
I found 3 misused words.Buster should be busted in 24; no should be not in 26; and in 27 it should read
person would be, not people will be. The contents will be very helpful. This is the rst time in many years
ive needed to use a resume, after leaving a job of several years, so it all seems once again, foreign. Thank
you for the help.
Whalleh on June 23, 2011 7:20 am
I really nd this piece of document useful. Great work.

However, i think some of us will need more on cover letters and its associated formats.
Thanks in advance for that.
Jobnab on July 07, 2011 12:22 pm
These are all really great valid resume tips! I think its also important to note that, in the age of social
media, its also important to clean up your online resume. Your paper resume may look great but if
those employers go online and see your Friday night escapades it may not go as well as youd like.
those employers go online and see your Friday night escapades it may not go as well as youd like.
Clarise on July 13, 2011 1:25 am
Nice blog. Ill apply this in writing my resume. I hope I can land on my dream job soon! Thank you!
Pat pokrzywinski on July 13, 2011 3:53 pm
24. No lies, please

Seems like a no brainer, but you would be amused to discover the amount of people that lie in their
resumes. Even small lies should be avoided. Apart from being wrong, most HR departments do
background checks these days, and if you are buster it might ruin your credibility for good.
Did you mean you are busted? see #5.
nick on August 14, 2011 3:13 pm
wow a bunch of english majors here.. how many more people are going to point out the typos?? I think it
has been covered.
Does pointing out typos in a blog post fulll your need for self-satisfaction? Does it help you feel
superior? Any errors in my statement?!
Pete on August 31, 2011 9:38 pm
Look, anyone with half a brain can gure out what was meant, even with the typos. Frankly, I have written
one resume in my life and wanted some practical advice and lo and behold I found it!
Thank you, this was very, very helpful.
ABHI on September 06, 2011 10:23 am
Thank you for more information about the tips of resume..
Navaneethan on September 10, 2011 2:06 am
Great tips to improve.
Joe on September 12, 2011 3:26 pm
Thank you. Youve provided some solid points.
Alease on September 15, 2011 10:27 am
My question is how long should the objective be? I always thought it should only be a few linesnow, I am
being told it should almost take the place of the cover letter because of sending the resume
electronically. Is this true? My daughter is trying to change career paths from teaching back to an oce
and the feedback we get is that they think she wants to be a teacherthats where most of her
experience is. So I was told to make the objective emphasize the fact that she is trying to get out of
teaching, not in. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
Sanath kumar on September 16, 2011 4:14 am
Nice article on Resume writing tips. You can visit our site for more information on How to write a resume.
And it also provides a free resume templates samples for all resume category.
cyril Ladzagla on October 09, 2011 11:12 am
what is the dierence between resume and curriculum vitae. A beautiful tips you have given out here but
you did not give any example of a standard resume. thanks
Adam Tokarsky on November 11, 2011 2:34 pm
Oh my god, it makes my brain itch to see this article and no accents over the e the whole way through, in
neither the article nor the comments. Is it me? Ive been spelling it rsum all this time!
Chris on December 16, 2011 1:44 am
Number 5Proof read it twice.
Number 9Attention to the typographyThe smaller you should go is 11
Shouldnt that be the SMALLEST you should go is 11? See number 5!

Shouldnt that be the SMALLEST you should go is 11? See number 5!
Brandi on December 29, 2011 10:08 pm
Great advice. I am working on my resume and was at a loss of what to include or not. Thanks so much!
PS: You proofreaders of the internet up there, you may be here because you are clearly too anal retentive
to be seen as a good coworker. Lighten up, express the anal glands, and you should be good to go.
Manish on January 08, 2012 11:13 am
Thanks. Hi Anease, regarding how long an objective should be?, i suggest 1 line on past & 1 line on future
if you are planning a real change. Else just 1 line might be sucient. Hey Judy, any luck so far?
Takashi Nasu on May 08, 2012 12:06 pm
Why should you be so concerned about making your gender clear? (#23) Unless its a modelling or acting
job Im not sure why it would matter whether youre a man or a woman, any more than it should matter if
you are black or not. You dont write I saved my company $10,000 LIKE A MAN just as you dont say I
am a very competent person, but black. It would likely help female applicants to be thought of as a man,
all other things being equal, as sick as it is.
Rashmi Priya on August 13, 2012 11:16 am
The article is very informative. I will make my resume following the above guidelines.
Charlotte on December 20, 2013 7:44 pm
Keep in mind that dierent cultures call for dierent approaches.
In Denmark, where I live, you would never leave out a photo, your birth date and some personal
information. The employer wants to see an applicant as an actual person with personality and interests;
one that would t well in the team. Hannas advice would be valid here.
Shamol Haque on February 04, 2015 5:02 am
Every single point is valuable & important for the resume. It is really helpful for me. After read the 44
points of resume writing tip, i will be up my resume with great tips. Thanks
Jo-Anne on June 07, 2015 8:14 pm
ATTN: The grammar and spelling nazis
Yes, I hear youhoweverget a life!
The content of this post is well written and it will help a great many people ne tune their resumes. I have
forwarded it to my daughter to help her nd work now that her children are all at school.
Darren Lowe on August 08, 2015 7:32 pm
As someone who has helped quite a few people with their resumes and cover letters, I agree with many
of these tips. I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to have a fresh pair of eyes read your
resume and cover letter template. Whether it is a spouse, parent, neighbour, family member, friend,
whoever, have a few people read them over. It is amazing the number of spelling mistakes and the like
that someone else can catch and you want your resume to be 100% perfect. It does not hurt to read it
backwards, word for word, to check for accuracy. Ensure you pick a font that is easily readable. Ensure
your resume tells a story tells YOUR story in an interesting way. The resume will be kept and it will be
remembered. So many resumes look exactly the same and your potential employer will only glance
through them. While you may have a standard form of cover letter, make sure each cover letter contains
information relevant just to that particular position or business. You want the reader to think they are
receiving a personal letter and not a form letter that has been sent here, there and everywhere. Ensure
also that the key points you want to make in your cover letter are made in short paragraphs so they
stand out and are read. Dont have two or three super large paragraphs that contain all sorts of
important information. They probably wont be read as thoroughly as you would hope them to be. Lastly,
dont be afraid to have some white space on your resume. It makes it so much more inviting and
readable.
ACS on February 10, 2016 5:30 pm
Dont forget to keep things simple and to the point. With that in mind dont leave any skill the you have
out of your resume as it relates to the job you are applying for.
Use bullet points and headings to categorize and make important information stand out.
Use bullet points and headings to categorize and make important information stand out.
Also for crying out loud. Get a phone number that is the same as where you are applying. Might keep
from your resume getting thrown out.
Rachael Christensen on February 22, 2016 11:29 am
Will denitely be using this as a resource! I am an accredited resume writer and am still guilty of a few of
these!!
Peyton on March 14, 2016 1:35 pm
In my opinion, I especially focus on two tips in the text. They are no lies, please and one or two pages.
They are all about the content of the resume that makes you attractive. First, you should remember that
no employer would like to hire a worker who is not trustworthy. The workers sincerity is one of the most
important factors in a job-searching process. The more sincere you are, the more chances you have to be
hired. Second, you must always keep in mind that your resume should never be further than 2 pages.
Because a 2-paged resume seems to be long enough. No employer would be patient to read your resume
no matter how good it is. Therefore, quality is always better than quantity.
Bill Carpentier on April 13, 2016 8:14 pm
I would also add that a resume should reect the tone of the job description for the job for which the
candidate is applying. In other words, look for key words (words repeated) and / or desired skills and
incorporate them to the extent you can into your resume. Do not make it sound like you are qualied in
areas that you are not but be aware for what they are looking for and tie that together with transferrable
skills you possess.
George Hudson on May 26, 2016 6:50 am
Great tips.! You listed out nearly everything one must follow to achieve a perfect resume. All I have to say
is that one must always proof-read their resume ,make it short and include the correct contact
details.Updating your resume if you change your address or mobile number is also important.Hiring a
professional resume-writer would ease your work.
Jade Brunet on October 12, 2016 10:31 pm
I appreciate this article about resume writing. I think that it is a great idea to proofread the resume twice
before submitting it. It would be best to catch errors before they reach a readers eyes. Something to
consider would be to leave out unimportant information and to make the resume as interesting as
possible.
Luke Yancey on October 31, 2016 10:14 am
I agree you should never include no kidding information on your resume! If you write it right, you wont
have enough space. Leave enough space to emphasize your talents and why you are right for the job!
Scott on November 07, 2016 6:07 pm
I like that you suggest to avoid negativity in your resume and your interview. I can see why it would be
better to avoid putting o any negative vibes. My brother is currently looking for a job because he was let
go from his other one. He should make sure to only say positive things about his last company.
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44 Resume Writing Tips

Having a solid and eective resume can greatly improve

Freelance Writing General

Grammar Grammar 101

Misused Words Punctuation

Vocabulary Word of the Day

Writing Basics Usage Review

1. Know the purpose of your resume

2. Back up your qualities and strengths

Let the Word Do the Work

5. Proofread it twice That vs. Which

7. Where are you going? Cannot or Can Not?

What Does Sic Mean?

9. Attention to the typography Program vs. Programme

What Is Irony? (With Examples)

100 Beautiful and Ugly Words

11. Explain the benets of your skills

12. Avoid negativity

13. Achievements instead of responsibilities

15. Use numbers

16. One resume for each employer

17. Identify the problems of the employer

18. Avoid age discrimination

19. You dont need to list all your work experiences

20. Go with what you got

21. Sell your sh

22. Dont include irrelevant information

23. Use Mr. and Ms. if appropriate

24. No lies, please

25. Keep the salary in mind

26. Analyze job ads

27. Get someone else to review your resume

28. One or two pages

29. Use action verbs

30. Use a good printer

32. Update your resume regularly

33. Mention who you worked with

34. No scattered information

35. Make the design ow with white space

36. Lists all your positions

37. No jargon or slang

38. Careful with sample resume templates

39. Create an email proof formatting

40. Remove your older work experiences

41. No fancy design details

43. Dont forget the basics

44. Consider getting professional help

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87 Responses to 44 Resume Writing Tips

D.F. Rucci on May 19, 2008 11:03 pm

Thanks for these tips! Good work!

Deb Dib on May 20, 2008 2:24 pm

Clever Dude on May 20, 2008 2:25 pm

Be concise. Be honest. Be balanced (not too cocky, not too humble)

Kayce on May 20, 2008 2:52 pm

Sumesh on May 20, 2008 5:02 pm

Tom Paine on May 20, 2008 8:34 pm