This week I happened to see a technical resumé that inspired this slightly snarky, and not
at all complete, “do” and “don’t” list for resumé writing. (Note that this was not a client’s resumé. My clients bring me work in all stages of completion, and I want them to know they will never be snarked about!)
DO
DON’T
Forget to list your most recent or current employment. (Or any other key information.)
DO
DON’T
Give so much detail that your resumé is more than one or two pages. (There is some flexibility here, depending on the length of your career.)
DO
Move your “education” section to the end of your resumé once you have significant job experience.
DON’T
Let the last section of your resumé get orphaned at the top of an additional page.
DO
Consider a section that lists your specific skills that are relevant to the job you want. (Or rather, the job you’re applying for. I realize they may not be the same thing.)
DON’T
Make it complicated. A matrix of categories and the skills you have in each of them can sound like a great idea if you are a technical person, but if it can’t be understood at a glance, it’s resumé suicide.
Bottom line? You want whoever is reading your resumé to focus on how great you are at the things you do, not any flaws or oddities in the document itself. If writing, formatting, and proofreading aren’t your primary skill set, then
DO
Yourself a favor and ask a skilled friend or hire a professional to polish that resumé!
