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A quality resume can be the difference between a successful career step and unemployment. The hiring manager that receives a resume does not necessarily know anything about the applicant and must make a quick assessment based on a very brief document. It is reasonable to assume that many hiring managers will spend less than a minute when initially evaluating resumes. This makes the resume a crucial document and it should be designed and maintained with great care. Here are a few tips on writing an effective resume.

Elements

There is no universally agreed upon list of items that must or should be included on a resume. Still, there are usually a number of elements that most people include in their document. These elements include contact information, education, work experience, special skills, certifications, languages, and references. If not all of this information can fit on the resume, applicants should at least have it readily available in case it is asked for by an organization.

The good stuff

Resumes are about presenting the greatest strengths of the applicant in brief statements. Therefore, people should put their "best foot forward" when compiling the information for their resume. This doesn't mean that they should leave large gaps in their timetable, but they should select those things that are most impressive in their past. Depending on the job, this material can be re-ordered or edited for specific jobs. This is also why it is important to read the job description so that the resume and cover letter can be tailored to the position.

Details, details, details

A key step in the resume process is formatting and editing the spelling, grammar, sentence structure and layout. The resume should be scrutinized, re-scrutinized, and then handed to someone else so that another "set of eyes" can look it over. There cannot be silly mistakes on a resume. Some hiring managers will throw away any resume that has a spelling error or obvious mistake in grammar. Style can vary from resume to resume, but overall the document should be consistent in terms of fonts, spacing, indents, and hierarchy.

Business and art

The resume is mostly a "business" document, but there is some artistry as well. An effective resume must include key information but it must also be ascetically pleasing to look at in terms of readability. If the font is small or too unusual, it can cut down on the effectiveness of the document. In addition, white space should be used effectively, so that that applicant avoids large empty spaces or a cramped and claustrophobic document. The applicant does not want to have the hiring manager focus on what distracts them in the document. Rather, the reader should be impressed by the content and the artistry so that they include the applicant in their list of interview calls.

Overall, the resume is a key document but it is also a "living" document. A person has to create their own style and ultimately they have to live with their decisions. However, a resume should also be created with a certain amount of humility. The applicant should show their resume to a number of knowledgeable people and be ready to receive feedback. Only then can they feel confident that their document is ready to send out in pursuit of their next vocational opportunity.

Learn more about this author, Todd Pheifer.
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