by Timmy

Created on: May 18, 2008   Last Updated: May 21, 2008

A resume is a concise summary of one's employment experiences. These experiences must be narrowly tailored to paint the best picture of the applicant with respect to the job in question. Not all past experiences and jobs will be relevant. The resume answers the question: "Why am I the best person for the job in question?"

An effective resume is short and sweet. It is no longer than one page. If needed, the font should be smaller to fit the information conveyed into one page. The one page limits makes it look like the applicant is forced to squeeze in the relevant information. Multiple pages just make the applicant look like he or she is trying prop up the experience. Quality, not quantity produces an effective resume.

Most prospective employers scan the resume briefly to extract the pertinent information. Often these just translate into talking points for the resume. Information such as education and past experience should be in bold. But the key point is not to bold too much, or it lessens the effect of the text. Personal and contact information should also be typed in bold so that the employer can contact the author promptly. The underlying goal of the document is to advance the applicant to the next stage of the game. Information such as a phone number is necessary for such an advancement.

An effective resume does not contain filler. The information must be narrowly tailored to the specific job in question. A general resume with ten jobs listed is less effective than a resume featuring two work-related experiences directly on point. Plus the reader will appreciate the effort and detail required to produce a specific resume for the job. Typing too many words in bold clutters the format and will lessen the effect of the bold. Executive decisions must be made as to which words to emphasize. Ask yourself: "What would I want to see in an applicant for this job?" Getting into the mindset of the decision maker is a vital aspect of the job-hunting process and effective resumes must take this into consideration.

The verbs used should be present participles and should vary. The same verb should not be used twice. This is where a thesaurus comes in handy. Specific, verbs are more effective than general ones such as "did" or "worked." Industry specific verbs can give an added sense of expertise and give the applicant an added sense of trustworthiness.

Other interests may be relevant in certain positions to create a sense of camaraderie and comfort in an interview. If you mention that you played baseball in high school, this may put you on common ground with the interviewer. However, it is important to consider your judge. Research on the interviewer will give some guidance as to what to include and what to leave out. For example, if the job is a government or public interest related, community service may be just as important as the education and job experience. But such information may be irrelevant or harmful in other settings. The art of resume writing requires an ability to read people. Knowing what to include comes from this people reading ability.

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