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How to Write a Resume
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The key element in obtaining employment is convincing a prospective employer that you are the applicant that will be best for the position available. The only way, however, that the employer can consider you is if you supply them with all of the information they need in order to make a decision. Without that, you will most likely not even be considered. Simply knowing what to include will put you well on your way to learning how to write a resume.
A typical resume provides the following data:
Your Name
This may seem like an obvious step but you would be surprised to find out how many resumes don't have the name attached. "My name was on the cover letter" or "it was on the envelope" are common excuses. Your name should be on a separate line at the top of the resume in bold print that's a few font sizes larger than the rest of the text on the resume. You could also include "Resume for" prior to your name if you wish.
Contact Information
Next you should list your full address and telephone number. It should immediately follow your name (with a space or two in between of course) so that if you are the applicant chosen to get the job, the personel manager will not have to hunt for your name or telephone number. "Why do they need my address", you might ask. Well ... most of the other applicants will include that information and if you don't, it could place doubt about you in the employers mind and someone else will get your job.
If you are often unavailable at your home address and/or telephone number for any reason, list alternate ways you can be reached. It would be a shame to lose the job because the employer couldn't reach you on the phone!
Your Objective
Many companies hire for multiple positions at the same time. The next thing you should list is what job you are applying for. No matter how obvious you may think it is, it doesn't hurt to spell this out. If you are applying for a position that will require you to develop a new department in the company, list what objectives you want to achieve for that department. Again, think of what things would likely be important to the employer when formulating that type of objective.
Education
In this section, you need to detail what training you may have had that qualifies you for the job. If there's a college degree required, list the degree you earned, the name of the institution, dates you attended or graduated, and a telephone number where they can confirm your degree. If you leave it up to the employer to find this information, they may simply move on to the next applicant who did include it.
If you had a course at a technical college or even in high school that applies to the position, list it here. If you've done self-study of an applicable subject, list it and give a short explaination of how much and what type of study you accomplished.
Be sure to include the highest level of formal education you achieved. If you finished one year of college, list it! The employer certainly won't assume you have more education than you have stated.
Work Experience
List your first job first and then proceed down the page. You should list at least your last three jobs. If you are fifty years old and have had three management positions over the last 16 years, you really don't need to detail the fast food job you had at 16-years-old. It doesn't hurt, however to first state that you were regularly employed since age 16 with no terminations if that's the case.
If you have less than three years of employment to detail in your last three jobs, it becomes much more important to be comprehensive here. And, of course, if you had a job five jobs ago that provided you with experience for the position you are applying for, it's imperative that you list jobs back that far.
List the name of each employer, address, telephone number, and the name of your immediate supervisor there, if possible. Include the month and year you started and left each job. List what you did at each one and detail anything that directly or indirectly applies to the job you are writing this resume for.
If you've got a great reason why you have no prior jobs, list a short explanation here. For example; "No prior work experience. My main goal was to concentrate on my studies at Whatever University where I graduated last month." Or, "No prior work experience. I'm a sophomore at Whatever High School and looking forward to my first job with LIST THE COMPANY NAME YOU ARE APPLYING TO HERE."
Keep in mind here that gaps in employment don't make you look good. If you took three years off to have a child or go back to school, include that information here. Don't simply leave those years as a big question mark in the mind of the prospective employer!
Numerous short-term jobs also can be detrimental to your application. Would you want to hire a new employee for a job that takes six months of training when that employee hasn't stayed at their last three jobs for more than three months each? If you had a job that you left quickly for a good, positive reason list that reason. For example, you may have gotten another and better job offer after only one month. No one should blame you for taking the better job. If you were able to give the employer you left a couple of weeks notice, list that too. That shows you were thoughtful of them even though you were leaving.
While this bit of advice won't help much in preparing today's resume, it merits mentioning for those who are early in their work lives. Think about what you do today so you won't have to explain things on your resume one or two decades from now. Don't be too quick to leave a job because you aren't thrilled about it or the boss. Someday you may lose a job because you appear too nitpicky to the next employer. If you can smile for awhile, stay a reasonable length of time, get a new job, and try to give the jerk two weeks notice, you will benefit greatly in the future. No one is suggesting that you stick around and deal with a totally unacceptable situation. Just think about whether telling an employer who didn't give you your 90-day raise or made you work three Saturdays in a row to take his job and shove it will hurt him more or hurt you more.
A Final Note
Is there anything else you have done in your life that applies to the job you are applying for or simply shows you might be a really decent and/or hard-working human being? Anything that shows you are a sociable person? Is there anything else that might qualify you for this job?
Maybe you've done charitable work or worked in the Peace Corps. Are you a member of the Knights of Columbus or similar group. Did you serve Thanksgiving dinner at the soup kitchen last Thanksgiving? Just two warnings here. Be informative but don't sound vain. "Served Thanksgiving dinner to disadvantaged citizens at the Salvation Army kitchen 2001-2006" sounds wonderful! "I gave up Thanksgiving Dinner with my family from 2001-2006 so that homeless people could have a nice meal" might sound like you are a bit taken with yourself.
If you are applying for a job as an auto mechanic, listing the fact that you totally rebuilt a 1955 DeSoto might be something worth mentioning.
If you are applying for your first job, maybe list here that you are very responsible for your age. If you have been babysitting for three years, explain a bit about why you feel that experience has made you a dependable and responsible young person.
You get the picture. If it makes you look good without making you sound like you are vain, list it. Don't rattle on and on and on though. Keep it short and sweet.
In closing, take a look at the sample resume below and thank you for visiting our "How to Write a Resume" page!
College Address
1234 Main Street
Tampa, FL 12345
(555) 123-4567
johnpublic@email.com
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Home
Address
1234 Central Blvd
Kenosha, WI 12345
(555) 123-4567
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Objective
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To secure a responsible and challenging position that will utilize my education, management experience and leadership skills.
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Education
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University of South Florida, Tampa, FL
Bachelor of Science Degree in Management (Graduating in June)
Marketing Minor
Russian Minor
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June 2007
Major GPA: 3.4/4.0
GPA 3.2/4.0
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Completed Computer Courses
Microsoft Office
Microsoft FrontPage
Adobe Photoshop
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Windows Vista
Intuit QuickBooks
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Foreign Study
After finishing minor in Russian requirement, took a summer accelerated Russian course at the University of Houston. Then attended the University of Moscow for the second semester of junior year.
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Work Experience
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Assistant Manager, Jenson Deli, Tampa, FL,
(555) 123-4567
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May 2006-Present
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- Supervise two employees on night shift and weekends
- Balance cash register for myself and employees
- Ensure that store is clean after closing and ready for next day's business
- Lock up store and engage security system
- Make up night deposit and delivery to night bank depository
- In excellent standing with manager, Joe Jones, please call him at the phone number above.
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Gap In Employment
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June 2005-May 2006
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During this time period, went to Houston, TX to take a three month accelerated Russian course and then spent the following nine months studying at the University of Moscow.
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Bagger/Stocker, Publix Supermarkets, Tampa, FL
(555) 123-4567
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October 2003-June 2005
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- Stocked shelves at night
- Returned shopping carts from lot to store
- Bagged Groceries
- 20 Months of Employment - Missed only 3 days due to illness
- Made "Employee of the Month" 3 times in 20 months out of 47 employees
- In excellent standing with manager, Judith Smith, please call her at the phone number above.
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- Worked at Eagle Supermarket in Kenosha, WI senior year high school.
- Operated a 120 residence paper route sophomore junior years.
- Prior to high school, mowed lawns and other odd jobs.
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- Volunteered at retirement home during high school. Read to seniors.
- Lettered in golf at the University of South Florida.
- Member: Alpha Beta Gamma honor society.
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