Resume Guidelines

Guidelines for a Great Resume

  1. Always send a cover letter with your resume.
  2. Review and revise your resume as needed.
  3. A resume may be folded neatly and mailed in a regular-sized business envelope.
  4. Remember to plan for a one-page resume.
  5. Use concise, positive phrases beginning with action verbs.
  6. Use indented and “bulleted” statements.
  7. Use quantities, amounts, and dollar values where they enhance your job description.
  8. Edit, proofread, and spell-check for possible errors.
  9. Don’t use resume(s) with job objectives different from the position for which you have applied.
  10. Don’t list sex, weight, health, or other personal irrelevancies.
  11. Don’t include pictures.
  12. Don’t put resume in fancy binder.
  13. Don’t include street address of former employer.
  14. Don’t list references (exceptions: journalism, art).
  15. Don’t explain unrelated information in detail.  No one is hired from a resume or application, so save your explanations for the interview.
  16. Don’t state race, religion, marital status, or political affiliation.
  17. Don’t use words such as “I,” “me,” or “my” in your resume.
  18. Don’t use personal evaluations (such as “learned a great deal through this experience”).