Your resume is usually the first impression you make on a potential employer. You want to be sure that your resume is a reflection of your skills and abilities, along with your personal style.

A variety of resume formats can be effective, depending on the position, industry and interviewer. The following article outlines some specific details to consider on any resume.

The main objective of a resume has always been to stimulate an employer’s interest in arranging an interview. However, the strategy toward that objective has changed over time. Consider the following before you write your resume:

Organization. A short statement at the top of the resume should highlight your objective for applying to a particular position. Your employment history should follow the summary statement, giving detailed examples of your work experience. Eliminate long sentences or paragraphs and substitute with concise sentence fragments. Modify weak phrases such as “duties included” in favor of strong action statements, such as “managed.”

Key Words. Many companies and recruiters use electronic screening tools that identify key words and sort resumes accordingly. Use enough critical buzzwords to survive a scanner. Ask a HR Solutions representative to give you tips on key words.

Style. Keep in mind that most recruiters take only one or two minutes to screen a resume. In that time, your resume needs to effectively convey that you are a qualified candidate. Create visual cues by using white space and use capitals instead of shading, italics, unusual fonts, extensive bolding or underlining.

When presenting a hard copy of your resume, make sure you use high-quality paper and limit your resume to one or two pages. If your resume is longer than one page, consider printing on both sides of the sheet with the words “continued on back” on the bottom of the front page. To shorten text even more, you may say “References available upon request” at the bottom of the resume.

By keeping these essentials in mind, you will be able to make a strong first impression and prepare yourself for the interviewing process.

Contact our staffing professionals for further advice and assistance with your job search.