Resume Tips

Promote Yourself

Your resume is a marketing tool. This is where you promote and sell yourself to the employer. The employer wants to know your relevant skills, transferrable skills, accomplishments and attributes for the position sought. The primary purpose is to help land the interview.

Targeted and Tailored

This is very important! The one size fits all approach does not work here. Every job is different, and depending on what the job is, you need to make sure you tweak your resume (and cover letter) for that particular job. Employers want to know exactly what you can do for their company. Stick to the facts, get rid of any information that is not relevant to the position you are applying for and research the company. Ask yourself, “What job am I going for, and does my resume have the skills and strengths required to present to my future employer?” Tailoring your resume to the specific job you are applying for will show the hiring manager you are serious about working for their organization.

Keep it Professional

Your resume is a business document. Do not include funny emails, pictures or personal information. A standard resume is usually one page but it can be two as long as it is relevant! Be consistent throughout your resume with your margins, fonts, line spacing and present or past tense. Consistency shows professionalism.

Keep it Simple

Use simple language, consistency, to the point, proper format and correct information. Ensure your resume is easy to read. Do not use fancy fonts, abbreviations or colours and use a font size of 11 or 12.

Correct Spelling, Grammar and Punctuation

Use spell check and ask at least two other individuals to proofread it! Poor spelling and grammar will not get you into the “A” pile.