Let's Get Started!

First impressions are important, and your first impression with a potential employer is your resume.  There are a few jobs that don’t require candidates to submit resumes, but if the one to which you are interested in applying does require one, there are three important things to consider before you create a resume, or when you edit your resume:

1).  Grammar – Most job openings that require you to interact with the public or other employees will require good verbal and written communication skills.  Your resume will represent your ability to communicate, therefore it is a good idea to edit it for grammatical errors.  There are some great  resources online to use.  Just go to Google and search on ‘grammar’.

2).  Spelling – Word processing software, such as MS Word and Word Perfect, have taken the guesswork out of spelling.  Most word processing software indicates a misspelled word with a red underline.  You can right click on the word and it will display the correctly spelled word.

3).  Format – The layout of your resume should be kept simple.  Many software packages have trouble with information organized into tables.  Always include the name of your former employers, job titles, dates of employment, and a description of your duties.  Leaving out any of these items can indicate to the potential employer that you are trying to hide something, and can give them a reason to send your resume to the ‘no’ folder.  The following format would work fine:

 

Name of former employer

Dates you were employed there

Job Title

Description of duties 

I would also suggest including a summary of your past experience, including an explanation of gaps in employment, with a general description or title of the position for which you would like to be considered.

Always make your resume and job information as easy to read as possible.  That will give a potential employer the impression you are able to communicate clearly.  That’s a good first impression!