Writing your Resume

Do's and Don'ts

Smilies.
This is a professional application, not a social networkings, like friendster ot the like profile. Smilies make you look childish and silly.

Cutesy graphics, overly fonts and layouts.
You want to be seen as a professional, not a child. The point is to get the resume read. There are many good sample of resume layouts online.

Gigantic photos of yourself.
You're trying to get hired, not sneered at; if your photo is particularly silly you may find it scanned and posted on the Internet.

Fancy paper.
Colored, scented, textured, etc.;  Clean white coupon bond is the best for readability.

The use of all caps.
"(i.e, GENERAL manager of golf club") or the unnecessary capitalization of certain letters and intercapping ("Presedent of The StudenT BodY). It's not a text message.

Text abbreviations.
Again, you want to be a professional; nobody in their right mind would hire someone who writes this: "N college I wnt t spcl trng sklls."

Things to remember when writing your resume

The resume is meant to present as a professional, not a friend. Do not be cute, and never lie to look better, because HR managers can, and often do, share information.

Be sure to edit your resume for grammar and spelling. Bad grammar, and misspelling the name of your school, for example, is always taken against you.

Include a cover letter, which should never ever exceed one page.

Keep your resume to two pages or less.

Always give your references a copy of your resume and tell them as a references; never blindside a person by listing them then not informing them.

Do not put a date on your resume (i.e., "Updated January 2, 2009") because if your search for a job takes longer than a month, hiring personnel will assume your resume is outdated and will tend to overlook it.

Include the following data about yourself: how you can be contacted (landline, cellphone, email) and avoid including height, weight, religion, comments aboout your health, etc.