It may be easier than you think

Ed Thomas, CPRW

It’s a marketing document.

Its sole purpose is to get you an interview!

8.5 X 11, 24# bond paper, watermarked. White or off-white with matching envelopes. Matching paper for cover letters. Black ink only (creatives/artists have leeway.) Times New Roman, Arial or similar typeface. Type size is 10 points or greater Margins - one inch all the way around.

The most popular is the reverse chronological also know as the chronological, listing your most recent employer first.

The functional résumé highlights a detailed skill set and/or a long list of certifications and can hide gaps in work history.

The hybrid résumé details extensive skills and provides a work history in summary format.

Curriculum Vitae (CV) – For medical professionals, academics and scientists.

There are endless arguments on this subject. Generally speaking, a recent college graduate

should have a résumé one page in length, while a person with experience should have a two page résumé. They can also go longer.

CV format for doctors/scientists/academics is longer than a typical résumé (est. five pages.)

Limit professional experience to the last 15 years to mitigate age discrimination.

Arguably the most important part of a résumé and the most difficult to write.

A few well structured sentences describing who you are, what you do and what makes you unique.

Borrow heavily from your 30-second elevator speech.

List your most recent employer first. On one line, list company name, city and state and

dates of employment. Three letter abbreviation of month and year tabbed so

the dates of employment line up. List your job title on a separate line and underneath it

give a brief description of the position’s responsibilities. Bullet major accomplishments under job description.

Your most recent positions have more bullets than older jobs.

Limit experience to the past 15 years. Group older employers and job titles on one line

each under “Other Relevant Experience” with no dates of employment.

Education is also reverse chronological with most recent first.

On one line, list the institution, city, state, degree and area of study. Omit dates if you’re over 40.

Use a separate heading for certifications following education and use the same format.

List the professional associations you have joined. You can include the years of membership. Be sure to include any positions of importance you

have held within the associations you cite.

Résumés with mistakes will get tossed in the circular file.

Suggestions – Proof a hard copy. Proof it backwards, from bottom to top. Look for words that are repeated twice, especially on two separate lines.

Have a friend you trust proof the document.

Develop a personal data sheet for filling out job apps at an employer’s location. It’s a big time saver.

Cover letters should employ the same type of paper, letterhead format and typeface used in your résumé.

Save one version of your résumé as an .rtf (text rich file.) Use it for on-line applications.

Don’t use boxes and shading when applying online. It can wreak havoc with ATS software.

Develops a client’s informational profile, distills what’s important and what résumé format maximizes the client’s potential.

Adds the “spark” that brings a résumé to life and attracts a reader’s attention.

Educated to the “industry standard” and the best are certified with a CPRW credential.

Will be aware of all the latest changes and nuances in résumé writing.