A resume has only one purpose and that is to get you an interview. It should not be written to provide a complete history of everything you have ever done, everything you have learned and everything that in your opinion you are good at. If the resume answers everything about you an employer has no need to meet you. He may make incorrect assessments and decisions. Your resume should only create an interest with the employer and not give him everything he thinks he needs for an interview decision.

Basic Resume Rules

1)  A resume should look clean and uncluttered with plenty of white spaces. Use   only two font sizes preferably .11 & .12.  The first place an employer wants to go is “Work History”. Make it easy to get to.  Don’t create an obstacle path of useless information. 

2)  A resume should never be longer then one page for a beginner to intermediate candidate, and never longer then two pages for the most advanced.  Under no circumstance should a resume be longer then two pages.  Anything beyond two pages will not be read.  If you can’t sum up your qualifications in two pages it sends a message that you lack focus and are disorganized.

3) The resume must have accurate and consistent employment dates.  It must detail months of employment not just years.  Make sure to list your jobs in chronological order with most current position listed first and work backwards to the first job listed last.  Account for and/or be able to explain gaps in employment.

4) “Career Objective” or “Career Summary” are typically list of strengths and skills and are personal opinions not based on facts.  An objective can be used if it is written specifically for the job you are applying for.  **Skill sets and technical expertise list can be used if included in the employment history section of the resume and listed within the description of the job where they were actually used or applied.   “Career Objective” or “Career Summary” sometimes is good only to add if there is too much white space on the resume and you need a “filler”.

Do not go over board relating specifically to the job being interviewed, for it will come across as such.  However it is always a good idea to tailor the order of responsibilities to fit the job you are interviewing for.  I always use the example to an ingredient list; put the most important/related ones first in order line up.   

5)  All certifications, licenses and special training should be   listed following “Education” and should only be included if they relate to the position the candidate is applying for.  Example: If you list Medical Assistant Certificate and you are applying for a Bookkeeper position, an employer would never consider you for this position because you would have caused longevity doubt.  Always list “Education” on the first page above “Work History” if you have a Bachelor’s degree or better. 

 
6) Each position in the employment history section should be formatted as follows.

·      Line one - Company name, City, State

·      Line two - Position title

·      Line three - A brief statement of duties and responsibilities (a mini position description)

·      **A list of 3 – 5 action bullets describing specific and accurate achievements. If possible these should demonstrate leadership and personal accomplishments not just participation or simply doing the job.

·      **A short list of technical skills and abilities required to successfully perform the duties.

7)  Never include compensation information/requirements

8)  Only state “References Available Upon Request” and do not list references on your resume.  Always make a separate Reference Sheet, and only include references that are business related and not personal friends.