How to Write a Winning Resume

Many people find the process of writing a resume to be a frustrating and intimidating one, and with good reason - resumes, along with cover letters, are meant to concisely summarize your work skills, abilities, accomplishments, and history, in a one to two page document, all while highlighting your strengths, avoiding your weaknesses, and making you stand out among a very crowded field of other qualified candidates. This can be a scary feeling that puts a lot of pressure on job seekers, especially ones who aren't that comfortable with the written word, editing, and even with showcasing one's own strengths in a confident manner. But don't worry, these feelings are normal, and with a little guidance, you'll find that writing a winning resume isn't as hard as it seems.

Let's first discuss briefly the actual look and layout of your resume. I won't go deeply into this, because honestly, there are dozens of ways to present a resume on paper, in addition to several formats: skills and chronological being two. But however you layout your resume, all winning resumes have some characteristics in common. These are:

1. Your contact information on top. You should have your full, preferred name on top (no nicknames), and make it BIG and easy to read - I recommend type size of at least 30. And any and all contact information; a phone number and email address are essential, and if you want to add a physical mailing address, that's a good idea as well. If you also have any personal websites that are professional in nature, you may list them here as well, such as a LinkedIn account. Do not list any personal blogs or non-personal websites - any links provided should only be websites that talk about yourself in-depth in a professional manner, or showcase something relevant to the job you're applying to, such as writings, samples, technological skills, etc.

2. Clean, easy-to-read fonts. It is a good idea to use "normal" fonts, and nothing out of the ordinary or artistic, and only sans-serif fonts - that is, fonts such as this on Associated Content, that do not have little curves on all the letters, but are more "blocky". This not only makes the font easier to read, but you can get by with using a smaller size to save space. I personally use and recommend "Verdana" as a font - with it, I can use a size setting of "10", and still have it perfectly easy to read. Also, be consistent! Stick with one type of font, one type of bullet, and make the whole look flow with consistency.

3. Spacing and pages. It's a good idea to try and keep a one-inch margin all the way around your document, but for sure on the sides - again, I use 1/2-inch margin on the top and bottom, but it's up to you. For spacing between "sections" (sections being headlines such as "Education", "Employment", etc.) I try to use at least two Returns. This keeps the document nice and clean, and easy to read, which is what you want for the HR department. Finally, TWO PAGES are more the norm these days than not, and it is perfectly acceptable to have a two-page resume. Just remember two things: number every page, and have your contact information available on both pages as well.

The rest of the layout can be up to you in terms of what you want to put first (your education or your employment history? Your certifications, or your keywords?) - it's up to you. But you should strive for a nice, clean, simple look that is easy to read; no fancy fonts, only white paper (if printing out - much is electronic these days), and don't be overly wordy with your descriptions - keep it to a minimum that still gets what you're trying to say across. Which now leads us into probably the most important advice: Tips on what to say, and how to say it.

Resume Writing Tips:

1. The most important sections to have: Most people probably have sections like "Education" and "Employment History" on their resume, which is great - you need those. But I'll be willing to bet many people do not have two of arguably the most important, if not the most important, sections: a "Keywords" and "Experience Highlights" section.

The important of the "keywords" section is mainly due to the nature of the job world these days - most job applications are done online, and resumes are received electronically and put through a scanner software system that looks for certain "key" words. What better way to get noticed than to have your very own keyword section! It also acts as a great way to highlight your skills in short, one or two words phrases. You don't have to call this section "Keywords" on your resume - call it "Competencies" or "Soft Skills" or something - but that's what they are. Consider keywords to use such as "teamwork", "problem solving", and "critical thinking" to be used, and then whatever else describes you as a person; maybe "mechanically inclined", or "computer savvy", or "multicultural" or "bilingual". This is a great spot where you just get to list words (in bullet form) and really get your resume, and yourself, noticed by keyword scanners. When applying for a specific job, read the job description, and the industry, and then ADD THOSE KEYWORDS in to your resume.

The "experience highlights" section is a place where you can add anywhere from three to five or more key highlights that you really want to point out to your potential employers, and perhaps they just don't fit anywhere else in your resume, or you just really want them to stand out. Are you a member of MENSA? List it here. Do you have specific degrees or certifications vital to your industry? Put them here. Were you the top salesperson at some point? Write that down, and tell specifically how much you sold, or percentage of what you made in increased sales, etc. The point here is to highlight something, anything, that is specific, important, and a veritable HIGHLIGHT of yourself or career.

2. Objective - yes or no? Many experts have said to do away with an "Objective" section years ago, while some others say it's still a good idea. I personally do not believe in an "Objective" section, because they often fall prey to the very real danger of being generic and repetitive. Many a resume has had some sort of bland, generic Objective statement such as this: "To be the best sales person in a leading industry..." or "I'm a hard-working individual who seeks to be an account manager with an established company in the...". These are not effective in the least, because they are dry, generic, and probably seen by hiring managers a hundred times or more - you're just wasting precious space on your resume. You're best bet is to leave it off altogether, or else focus it greatly to a specific job you're applying to, such as: "Objective - to be hired for the open Project Manager position within your Midwest Sales division at Widget, Inc., and increase sales by 15% or more in two years." This at least is very short, and quite specific. Or you can do what I did, and instead of an "Objective" section, shorten it even further, and use (again) keywords just under your Contact Information section on top. So for me, I use the words "Creative Writer - Researcher - Organizer - Leader". An employer knows immediately what it is I am, and what I do, when he or she picks it up. And they're easily changeable when I am applying to something that may not fit into exactly those four words/categories.

3. Show - do NOT tell! This is a biggie. When you finally do get to talking about your past, and present jobs and duties, do not make the mistake that so many people do - simply writing about what it is you do there. This may not seem to make sense, but the last thing any employer wants to read about is what you did at a job - what they want to read about is what you did ABOVE AND BEYOND your normal, typical job duties. In other words, they understand that everyone "works", has "duties", and is "busy" - but they don't want to read about that; they want to know how you succeeded, and what benefits you brought to the table. For example, you may have five bullet points under your former job title of "Product Manager - Widget Division". Personally, I use the very FIRST bullet as the one and only spot where I list my duties (this is allowed); I may write: "Oversaw production of 17 widgets, from R&D stage to creation, packaging, shipment, & storage." That's it, no more. I won't talk about meetings I had, the purchase orders I wrote, or the clients I chatted with. Instead, you now need to list any and all successes you had, and any additional merits and improvements you made to the company, your office, your department, etc. SHOW your future employer that you're a multi-tasker, NOT telling them. Example: instead of listing bullet point two as "I multi-tasked on 10 different programs" (that's telling), show them by writing: "Managed 10 programs simultaneously, above department average, to successful client specifications." Think creatively here - the goal is to write and tell about any and all benefits you added that no one else did. Did you think of a new process that was implemented? State that: "Created a new documentation process that was implemented for entire team, and saved time and paper". That means saving MONEY. Did you increase any sales or productivity? Tell how, how much, and what dollar amount or percentage - BE SPECIFIC. Did you volunteer for any additional committee or group in the organization? Write internally? Chair any meetings? Win any awards? All of this should be noted, instead of normal, day-to-day job duties.

4. Be heavy with action verbs. Try and use as many strong action verbs as you can, without repeating them. Grab a thesaurus or dictionary, or head to Merriam-Webster, for help. Use words like: managed/supported/created/established/taught/directed/implemented/sold/constructed/reviewed, etc.

5. Be specific. As already mentioned, whenever you can, be specific. Use numbers, years, percentages, and dollar amounts (especially money you saved a company) whenever you can. Instead of phrases like "Volunteered for several years at Youth, Inc.", state how many years: 1, 2, 3, etc. If you managed anyone, don't say "managed small office team", say "Managed team of 4 sales reps...". Don't say, "Increased sales last year by doing...", say "Increased sales by 19% by...". Be as specific as you can.

6. Use accurate dates. I've seen several resumes that didn't have dates on them, just listed a school and a degree, or a place of employment and a job title. Use dates, even if it's been awhile since you've worked, as it helps lend credibility to your resume, as well as a nice timeline for the employer. If you haven't worked for awhile, use that section to write down what you have been doing, even if it's been part-time work, or pursuing other passions, training, certification, travel, etc.

7. Listing any and all technology. These days, technology, computers, and the "Web 2.0" world are more important than ever, so even if your experience with computer hardware and software is minimal, it's a good idea to list all that you're familiar with, even if it's simply "Microsoft XP and Office Suite". That is better than nothing.

8. Additional skills/volunteering/training. If you have lots of volunteering experience, you're a published author (like those of us here on AC), or even if you have a certificate in CPR - list it! It may not be specific to that banking associate job you're applying to, but guess what? It shows to your potential employer that you are involved in a community; that you keep yourself engaged and busy; you are educated; you can not only learn new skills, and keep yourself doing that, but you could possibly be called upon to help teach and train others; and you enjoy a challenge. So even if it's speaking French or that you teach dance lessons, list it in some sort of "Involvement" category. It will only help your cause, and can't hurt. Now, that said, we need to talk about what WILL hurt you.

What to Avoid:

1. Hobbies - Putting additional skills, work, volunteering, training, etc. on a resume are great, so long as they are NOT your hobbies. A list of hobbies, as well as personal likes and dislikes (walking dogs, children, working out, etc.) have no place on your resume. This is not a dating service. Nor should you ever list your age, marital status, sex, sexual preference, religion, or any other personal nature. Your contact info., your name, your skills, abilities, work history, highlights, keywords, involvement, and technology skills - that's it. Hobbies and personal information are a complete no-no.

2. Typos - Avoid typos and misspellings like the plague. Check, check, scan, re-check, use Spellchecker, have a friend read and check it, and then check it again. Any mistake is costly, and the death knell of applications - it can cost you anywhere from reliability points to a trip straight to the garbage pile. Check. For. Typos!

3. Pictures and irrelevant information - Unless you were specifically asked for one, or you need to specifically provide artwork or written samples, etc., avoid any kind of pictures, artwork, or fluffy material of any kind.

4. Lying - just don't do it. Period. Do not list a job or skill if you haven't done it or you can't do it. You can, and should, be creative and confident in your descriptions of your past and current work, skills, and successes. But if you can't really speak Russian, or you really don't know Photoshop inside and out, or you really only managed one person, not three, then don't list it.

5. References - Having references, or a "References available upon request" statement, is not necessary, and wastes precious space. Employers know that these can and will be readily available by any reputable applicant (so have them ready, and double-checked), but you do not need to write this.

Writing a winning resume isn't as hard as people imagine, and there are literally dozens of templates to follow or get inspiration from out on the Internet. But you need to fill that template with winning content, and by following the tips listed here, you should be able to end up with a clean, well-written and well-presented resume that will increase your chances of gaining an interview. After that, winning the interview is up to you - but if you use your strong resume before you as a guide during the process, you shouldn't have anything to worry about.