To start your resume, begin with determining your objectives (do this prior to writing the resume). Clearly state what sort of a job you want and you should know what kind of skill-set and experience is needed for that job. After your objectives are determined, prioritize the content of your resume to suit those objectives. A lengthy resume does not necessarily translate to higher qualification. While your resume is essentially a marketing tool, it shouldn’t read like one. Avoid over-use of industry jargon. Be factual, concise and mention specific achievements. You don’t need to go into detail about every accomplishment in your resume, however as companies are looking for something more than just training and education, you need to project a proven track record.

Important: the interview is the place to elaborate on your accomplishments, not the resume.

Few points to be kept in mind while making a resume

Use Bulleted Sentences

Use bullets with short sentences to structure the body of your resume. The main celling points of your resume should be clear and quick to scan. There is no need of writing everything in a resume as those will be covered during the interview.

Use Action Words

Using action words like prepared, managed, developed, championed, monitored, and presented will ensure your resume to stand out. Some companies have now started scanning the resumes so as to reduce time. This process has some limitation as it focuses on those key words which have been picked up by the hiring managers. These are action keywords that relates to the position. So, not including them or using shortened acronyms could mean your resume is disregarded as a “non-match”.

Use %'s, $'s and #'s

You should always use %’s, $’s and #’s. Dollar totals, numbers, and percentages stand out in the body of a resume. It looks different and is an easy way of catching the reader’s eyes.

Highlight Your Strengths

Highlight your strengths, and generally those once which is most relevant to a potential employer. Nowadays resumes are typically reviewed within 10-30 seconds, so put forth the effort and determine which point most strongly supports your job search objective. Put the strongest and most relevant points first where they are more apt to be read.

Match The Need They Have

Match the need they have – Review job postings online and in the newspapers for positions that interest you. Each position will usually have a brief blurb about the company and the position available. Use the keywords listed in these ads, and match them to the bullet points in your resume. There may be chances that you have already mentioned some of these as key points, however if you have missed any, it is better to add them in your resume.

Be Positive

Above all in your resume and interview – you must be positive. Leave out negatives and irrelevant points. If you feel your graduation date will subject you to age discrimination, leave it out of your resume. If you do some duties in your current job that don’t support your job search objective, don’t include them. Focus on the duties that support your objective, and leave off irrelevant personal information like your race, weight, and height.

Formatting Guidelines

Generally the font size of a resume should not be smaller than 10 point and it is better to use a standard front like TIMES NEW ROMAN etc. Don’t use complex fonts that are hard to read. The length of your resume should be 1-2 pages.

Get 3rd Party Advice

Lastly, ask a friend, and get an outside opinion on your resume before sending it off. This is because it can be difficult for you to note all your high points and clearly convey all your accomplishments. Having someone subjectively review your resume can give you insight into how others will view your personal marketing materials – would your resume impress them? The reader can help you to discover items you inadvertently left off your resume. Take their comments into consideration, and revise your resume accordingly. In addition to adding in missed items, their questions can also point to items on your resume that are confusing to the reader.