You know what they say about first impressions
Think of your resumé as the trailer to Your Career: The Movie. It gives an employer a glimpse of the kind of employee you’ll be, so you want it to accurately reflect the focus and determination you’ll bring to the job. A resumé is your initial sales tool to hook a company’s interest and make those potential employers want to learn more about you.
Great resumé content includes…
- A summary or objective that serves as a snapshot of why you’re pursuing the job and what you bring to the table;
- A list of core competencies and/or skills relevant to the job you’re pursuing;
- Your work history, beginning with the most recent place of employment;
- Your education history or recent coursework;
- Side projects or volunteer experiences relevant to the job you’re
pursuing; - Your LinkedIn and/or GitHub profile, personal website, or any
link related to your field; - XYZ bullet approach, meaning, “I did X, using Y, which resulted
in Z.”
Common resumé mistakes include…
- Spelling and grammatical errors;
- Inaccurate information (work history, dates, degrees, etc.);
- Inconsistencies in format (font sizes, punctuation, caps, bold
text, etc.); - Not tailoring your resumé to the job you’re seeking;
- Photos—don’t include a photo of yourself (or anyone) on your
resumé; - Too lengthy or too many bullet points—ideally, your resumé
should be two pages or less; - Graphics, colors, and funky fonts—simple is still best in resumé formatting.
