Resume Writing Advice

Not only is your resume the first thing an employer sees from you, it is what the employer will use to decide whether you move on to the next stage of the employment process. Make your first impression count.

Tailoring Your Resume to the Job

An effective resume succinctly describes your education and experience that specifically relates to the job you are applying for. Your resume is a written snapshot that should clearly support your career goals and be tailored to the particular position for which you are applying.

Have a specific job in mind when you are creating your resume. Analyse job descriptions for the skills and abilities that employers are seeking. Read through descriptions, highlight the required skills, attributes, and qualifications, and address three or four main areas in your resume.

Assessing Your Skills and Accomplishments

Take some time to think about your accomplishments and create a list: things that you did well, enjoyed doing, and were proud of. Include education/training, volunteer opportunities, jobs, projects, school assignments, travel, and group/team activities. Describe in detail what you did, why you did it, who you did it with, what equipment you used, and what happened. Quantify your results if possible, and use commonly understood terminology. Identify the personal strengths and skills that you use to achieve your accomplishments. Don't be humble; this is your chance to promote your skills and abilities.

Writing Your Resume

When you are composing your resume, write descriptive phrases, use action verbs and write short phrases that describe what you did and illustrate each skill. Be concise and specific. Arrange the descriptive phrases in order of relevance to the position for which you are applying.

Remember, your ability to write correctly will influence your ability to get a job!