Ticket to the Interview: The Resume

Compiling a resume can be tricky, but when it comes down to the bullet points, the nature of it all can be quite simple. If you put yourself in the employers' shoes, you may find ways to make your resume stand out of the stack, and this does not mean changing the paper size.

There are different ways to make a resume. It all depends on what job you are applying for, where you are in your professional life and selecting what accomplishments you feel are necessary to share with your potential employers. Layout and organization is key.

The Basics

Put your name and contact information at the top. You may want to use this as a letter head on your cover letter, too. General things to include are education, experience, honors, leadership, skills and travel.It is not necessary to include all of these.

Think of all the past positions you have had, and do not underestimate the experience you gained by working at your dad's car wash. Make a list of all the clubs and positions you have held recently. Highlight the skills you have gained from every experience that would reflect your capabilities for the job you are looking for.

You want your resume to show not just a list of your past jobs, but what you accomplished during your time of employment. If you were a clerical worker, avoid listing: filed papers, answered phone calls and made coffee. Most job titles are self explanatory. Employers are interested in what unique attributes you brought to the position, not just your tasks. Say what you learned and don't be scared to elaborate on something spectacular you accomplished.

It is good to show numbers. They want to see just how much money you raised for cancer during the Walk-a-Thon in 2006. Or how many articles you wrote while interning for The Times.

The Format

There is nothing fun about looking at 10-point font all day, so keep your resume sharp, organized, and crisp.Employers are not looking for a word scramble.Clearly label your sections with corresponding fonts, sizes, and margins. Keep punctuation consistent throughout and try to keep your resume to one page. If you absolutely cannot do that, there is no rule against it, but one page is usually enough.

Resumes don't need to be in chronological order. If you are applying for the position of Sales Associate and you have had previous experiences in the field, put those descriptions near the top of your resume.

And just for fun, play around with different formats, but be conservative with the font choices. There are multiple templates to try out.
Freshen UpFinally, get a second, third, and fourth opinion.Before sending your resume off to all the Fortune 500 companies on Craig's List, re-read it! Check for typing errors, syntax, and you may even want to alter the format for specific jobs. Send your resume to friends and family for review. Shoot an email to someone you may know in the industry who would be willing to help you out. You may be surprised how many professionals love to share their opinions.

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