Tips for workers—resume writing

The goal of the resume is to get an interview. Remember that employers will typically spend less than a minute initially reviewing your resume, so be sure to be as clear and precise as possible.

The resume should include:

1. Contact Info: Name, address (both temporary and permanent if applicable), phone number, and email address.

2. Job objective: Describes the type of position you desire and shows that you have career goals. (example: An administrative position in the area of rehabilitation/geriatric health care utilizing my knowledge of clinical, community, and patient services.

3. Education info: Name of high school, college (if applicable), major, degrees and date received.

4. Experience/Work History: Includes paid employment, internships, field work, volunteer and military service. Try to focus on responsibilities and accomplishments that are related to the position you are applying for. When stating the organization/company, be sure to note the city and state, dates of employment and job title (if appropriate).

Tips for Your Resume:

• Resume length should be no more than one page
• Organized, professional, and easy to read: Bullet points and bolding make it easy to follow and can emphasize your major responsibilities and achievements
• Focus on accomplishments throughout the resume.
• List your most recent job first, and go back in time. If your list is long or has large time gaps, summarize older jobs by type of job.
• Make sure to proofread and to eliminate grammatical or spelling errors. (This one is big and often overlooked. Have others look at your resume, too.)
• Don’t lie. Make statements that you can back up with examples and specifics.
• Always include a cover letter with your resume, which shows that you are interested and have thought about the position. This is a supplement to your resume that can make you stand out to an employer. A cover letter should:
• Be short, precise and directed at the person making the hiring decision.
• Emphasize personal characteristics that apply to the position.
• Tailor your resume to a specific employer and specific position rather than sending the same one to each posting. Modify the resume to emphasize the skills and experience needed for each job.

For more detailed information check out the following links:

General Dos/Don’ts of Resume Writing

HSCareers.com: http://www.hscareers.com/careercenter/articles.asp?id=5

Chico State: http://www.csuchico.edu/plc/resume-rules.html