Saturday, November 15, 2014

Resumes and First Impressions

Having read hundreds or resumes, both as an intern at Stanford University and as the Coordinator of the Career Center at College of the Desert for about six years, I have some tips that I would like to share with you.  

Since your resume is the first contact that a potential employer may have of you, the visual is critical. Here are some tips to remember:
  1. Use white paper.
  2. Paper should be at least 20 lb weight for the average job, but for professional positions, consider top quality paper that has a water mark.
  3. One page for most applicants.
  4. Well formatted
  5. Edit and edit again for spelling and punctuation.
  6. Be consistent -- same font type and size; headings; dates of employment 
  7. Lots of white space
  8. Keep the sheet unfolded.
  9. White envelope (9 X 12)
  10. Eliminate unnecessay words -- use action verbs.
Remember, you want your resume to be read and you have about 30 seconds to keep the reader interested.  You can be the best candidate, but if your presentation is not neat, organized and easy to read, your resume may end up in the circular file.

Project excellence!!  You are in competition with others.

(Stay tuned for more resume tips.)

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