DO's!

Make sure your résumé is easy to read.

Use concise, unambiguous sentences and avoid over-writing or flowery prose.

Know your audience - use the vocabulary and speak the language of your targeted field.

Keep the overall length of your résumé short.

Depending upon your experience, one or two pages is ideal.

Stress your past accomplishments and the skills you used to get the desired results.

Focus on information that's relevant to your own career goals.

If you're making a career change, stress what skills are transferable to support your new career objectives.

Begin accomplishment statements with action verbs  instead of pronouns like I, we, or even the company.

Neatness counts. A poorly structured, badly typed résumé is a reflection of the applicant.

Put your highest level of education first.

Target a specific area not a specific title.

DON'Ts!

Your salary history or reasons for leaving a previous job should never be included on a résumé.

If you're considering enclosing a photograph of yourself, don't! You may bear a striking resemblance to someone the reader doesn't like.

Don't include references - potential employer is interested in references only after they are seriously considering hiring you.

At that time, you may be asked to provide reference information.

Don't stretch the truth! Misinformation or untruthful statements will inevitably come back to haunt you.

Avoid references to hobbies, activities and memberships that are not business-related or haven't any application to your current career goals or job objectives.

Last, but certainly not least, don't have any unreasonable expectations of what a résumé can do. Employers do not hire résumés, they hire people.

Change verb tenses back and forth.

JOB INTERVIEW TIPS

1. Be positive and enthusiastic.
2. Always bring several copies of your resume to an interview.
3. Bring a typed list of professional references to present upon request.
4. Dress conservatively.
5. Arrive 5 to 10 minutes early.
6. Read directions on the application and complete neatly, as instructed.

Questions you should be prepared to answer:
What are your goals?
What do you look for in a job?
Why did you leave your last job?
What salary do you expect?
What are your strengths and weaknesses?
Why should we hire you?

Questions you should be prepared to ask:
What are the company's long & short term goals?
How long have you been with the company?
What growth has your company shown over the past years?
When was this company established?
Why is this position available?

1. It is not necessary to include an OBJECTIVE unless your job search is in one industry.
2. Always list your most recent EDUCATION or PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE first.
3. All dates must be accurate.
4. Describe work experience in phrase format utilizing action verbs, separated by commas or semicolons.
5. Have your final draft proofread before printing.

When describing your accomplishments, the use of action verbs can make the difference between a statement that attracts attention and one that seems commonplace and uninteresting.

achieved - added - broadened - consolidated - coordinated - created developed - designed - eliminated - established - evaluated - expanded - generated - identified - increased - initiated - invented - maintained - managed - negotiated - organized - performed - planned - purchased - reduced - saved - simplified - streamlined - strengthened - supervised - trained - transferred - utilized - verified - worked - wrote.

Contact Information

Include the following contact information on your résumé:

• Your name
• Your postal address, including city, state, and zip code
• Your telephone number or a message number
• Your e-mail address, if applicable

Ensure that your name and telephone number is on each page of your résumé and job-related correspondence.

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Objective

In one sentence, specify what you're looking for in employment. Use your goals, skills, and qualifications. Use of an objective is optional.

Examples:

• "Seeking an opportunity with a progressive business to use and expand my administrative and interpersonal communication skills."
• "To secure a laboratory position with an innovative company utilizing my analytical, investigative, and organizational skills."
• "To join an innovative company and employ my extensive design, graphics, and computer skills."
•  

Qualifications and Skills

Explain why you'd be good at the position for which you're applying. This is a brief, hard-hitting summary of your significant technical, and, if appropriate, managerial skills. Include accomplishments and things at which you've excelled. These may include "soft" skills, such as team player, dependable, successfully meet deadlines, and so forth. Alternatively, they may include "hard" skills such as types of office equipment, computer hardware, and software application expertise.

Examples:

• "Achieved salesman of the month on numerous occasions, selling over $75,000 in products per month."
• "Accurately computed and filed all Federal and State tax reports."
• "Maintained complaint reporting system and assisted clients with problem resolution."
• "Experienced in many facets of laboratory work, including cell culture, chromatography purification, and immunoelectrophoresis."
• "Computer expertise includes Microsoft Excel, Word, and Windows."

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Experience

Include your best and most recent work experience, but avoid time gaps and avoid listing more than five employers. Note how each job applies to the position for which you're applying. Be sure to include your job title, employer, location, and dates of employment. Be consistent while spelling out or abbreviating the names of states and months—don't mix and match throughout your résumé.

Examples:

• Office Assistant — ABC Company, Seattle, Washington, August 1995 through October 1997
• 4/93–7/95 Sales Representative, ACME Poultry, Columbus, OH
  

Education

List your best or most current college, technical, and university education. If appropriate, include college degrees and academic achievements. Note that college activities and course work may or may not be appropriate based upon your date of graduation and amount of professional experience.

Examples:

• Ph.D. in Biochemistry and B.S. in Nutrition, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington.
• Shoreline Community College, Shoreline, WA. 12 credit hours in Computer Sciences.
• University of Washington, Seattle, Washington. Certificate in Technical Writing, 1996.
• Industry-related courses include: Advanced Microsoft Word, Project Management, and Medical Terminology

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Other*

Include additional information pertinent to the position for which you are applying. This may include professional affiliations and memberships, awards and honors, personal interests, etc. This is a good place to include awards, patents, publications, voluntary work, teaching experience, and so forth. Supplying additional information is optional.

Examples:

• Member, The New York Academy of Sciences
• Workshop leader, Expanding Your Horizons Seminar, April 1998.
• SCUBA diving, sailing, cooking
• Volunteer Fire Fighter. George, Washington. 1993 to 1997

*Note: You may wish to alter the heading to describe this section's contents (for example, "Professional Affiliations", "Awards", "Interests").

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