RELEVANT EXPERIENCE
Don’t: Do not include experiences that have no relevance to the position you are applying for. You can howeveradd skills that might be relevant in the form of bullet points.
Do: List experience that would qualify you for the job. Include jobs that you gained relevant experience. If youhave taken courses or earned certificates add those with the dates completed and expiration.
EDUCATION
Don’t: Do not include your GPA (grade point average). Only include the GPA if the employer asks for it,otherwise it is unnecessary. You can include degree level, area of study, institution you attended and whateverdegree you obtained.
Do: Always list education that is relevant to the job. You may list High School Diploma or GED if the positionis entry-level. List Higher education such as Associates, Bachelors, Masters etc. if they are complete.
PERSONAL INFORMATION
Don’t: Including your family details, marital status, or the number of children you have is irrelevant to yourjob searching.
Do: It is important to always include your name, phone number and email address so that the prospective employercan contact you to set up an interview.
Using an email that is professional such as MWilliams@icloud.com is better than using one that containsprofanity, nicknames, or silly words.
JOB LISTINGS AND QUALIFICATIONS
Don’t: Applying for jobs that you have no relevant requirements will not necessarily get you an interview. Thereis no need to exaggerate duties and abilities so that you are more qualified.
Do: Apply for jobs that you have requirements you are capable of filling. It is good to compare your abilitiesto the requirements before you apply to determine if you are indeed capable of performing the job duties.
VOCABULARY
Don’t: It is important to avoid using ambiguous phrases such as hard worker, team player, or detail orientedunless those are keywords used in the job description.
Do: Direct statements can show what your role was in a previous job, such as “collaborated with team members tocreate a streamlined process for onboarding new employees”
APPLICANT TRACKING SYSTEMS
Don’t: Avoid using complicated templates and neglecting key words that are found in the job description.
Do: Highlight key words and relevant phrases that can help an ATS (applicant tracking system) to grade yourqualifications and forward your resume to the hiring manager.
LENGTH
Don’t: Be careful not to make your resume longer than two pages. It is not necessary to include every job thatyou have ever held just to increase the length of your resume. Most employers prefer one or two pages and when moreinformation is required, they will ask.
Do: The most effective resumes are one or two pages and do not include unnecessary information. Listing your qualifications allow the recruiter or hiring manager to see what is important.
PROOFREADING
Don’t: Submitting a resume without carefully reviewing grammatical errors and spelling can be the deciding factorof a hiring manager moving on to another applicant.
Do: Review your resume before submitting. If you are using a word document, use the option to check your grammarand spelling and even the conciseness of your statements. It is a clever idea to have a friend read your resumeprior to submitting so that they can give ideas for improvement.