The ease of applying to jobs online has created an influx in resume submissions. Consequently, employers and HR departments spend only a small amount of time reviewing each resume and usually look for very specific things. Therefore, having a well prepared, properly formatted resume is critical to making it to the next step in the process.

One of the most important thoughts to keep in mind when creating a resume is to keep the information in the document relevant and brief. There are probably a lot of things you might want to include that should not be added, especially when you only have a few seconds to grab the employer’s attention. This “fluff” will distract and divert the reviewer from getting to the important information that they are looking for.  

Format

A resume should be in legible black text on white paper. A simple font such as Times New Roman is usually preferred. Do not get creative with standout color schemes or images, as this can come across as unprofessional. Bullet points should replace any large paragraphs of text that can be difficult or cumbersome to read.

The basic template should include contact information, employment history, education, and a software skills section. The sections about experience and software skills should be tailored to be relevant to the specific job you are applying for. Your listed experience should always be the largest and most significant section, which comes immediately below your name. You should not use a summary or list any soft skills on your resume.

Personal information

Personal information should be limited to name, address, phone number, and email address. Any other general information, such as your personal objective or career goals, should be avoided unless an employer has specifically asked for this information.

Content

It is always a good idea to create different, tailored copies of your resume that highlight certain experiences, skills or previous jobs relevant to the position that you are applying for. Having experience or education that is impressive but irrelevant to the job will not help, even if it is tempting to include it. Jobs should be separated by title along with bullet points that clearly describe regular job duties, accomplishments, and tangible goals that were met while in the position.

Gaps

Do not leave gaps of unexplained time. This is a common piece of advice that has not changed much over the years. Use years to show consistent employment or education for the entire duration of time that is included in the document.

Length

As a general rule, people with shorter work histories, or those 30 years old or younger, should limit their resume to one full page. Even for people with decades of experience, two pages should be the absolute maximum length. Anything longer than two pages will most likely not be read and could cause valuable information to be overlooked.

Your resume should be an easy to read, short document that explains your prior experiences and qualifications that are relevant to the specific position you are seeking. Creativity is less important than sticking to the proven formula. This will show an employer everything they need to know about you in that stage of the process in a minute or less.