How to write a resume

By Jane McGrath, How Stuff Works, adapted by Newsela staff on 12.03.19

Word Count 966
Level MAX

This person's first mistake in writing a resume? Putting the word "resume" at the top. Photo by: Kittisak Jirasittichai/EyeEm Photo by: Kittisak
Jirasittichai/EyeEm

You've often heard not to judge people on first impressions. Unfortunately, when it comes to your
resume, your potential employer will be doing just that to you. Though you may pour your heart,
soul and life story into that important document, chances are employers will pitch it after glancing
at it for a few seconds. After all, they've probably got hundreds to read, and for a myriad of
possible reasons, yours failed to entice them. It doesn't mean you're not qualified for the job. It
might just mean you need to approach your resume with a new perspective and armed with some
effective tips.

When you're constructing your resume, you have to walk a few dangerous tightropes. For one, you
need to be able to brag about yourself without exaggerating. The employers who are poring
through piles of resumes have seen it all and can usually smell bluffs from a mile away. Another
difficult line to walk is making your resume stand out without descending to tricks and designs
that merely frustrate the resume reader. Neon colors and funky fonts may get you noticed — but
not in the way you want. Rather, a clean format will draw meaningful attention to the meat of your
resume: your qualities and accomplishments.

This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com.

An effective resume grabs the reader's attention quickly. But even the smallest grammatical
mistake will foil your hard work. Murphy's Law, which states that "If anything can go wrong, it
will," could have been written with resumes in mind. Fortunately, there's no mistake you can make
that hasn't been made before. Because so many things can (and often do) go wrong, irked resume
readers have filled volumes with guidelines and suggestions for resume writing.

We've assembled some expert advice on what to include and, perhaps more importantly, what to
omit from your resume. Overall, keep in mind that your ultimate goal should be to land an
interview — leave them wanting more. It's easy to lose sight of this goal, so internalize it as
mantra. With that in mind, let's go over the major parts of a resume.

Although you want your resume to stand out, adhering to a conventional format will allow
employers to find the information they want easily. Let's go over the components every resume
should have.

Contact information: Make sure you feature your name prominently (usually centered and
bolded) on the top of the page. Below your name, list your phone number, mailing address and
email address.

As we mentioned earlier, it doesn't take much to ruin a resume. Although the major components
are important, the devil is in the details. The following is a list of what to omit from your resume:

Errors: Typographical, grammatical and spelling errors are some of the most common and
deadly mistakes people make on resumes. The best way to rid your resume of errors is to have
several people look it over.

Salary: Most experts advise against including your current or desired salary. Career changes offer
great opportunities for pay raises, so stay mum about your wages to gain the upper hand in salary
negotiations.

Low grades: As a rule of thumb, include information only when it will benefit you. Give your
grade point average (GPA) if it's impressive. Experts disagree on the cutoff point, but in general
they suggest listing it if it's 3.0 to 3.5 or above.

Irrelevant personal interests: Similar to the previous point, list just the relevant information.
Although you may intend these details to offer insight into your character, they'll more likely serve
to waste the reader's time.

Meaningless phrases: Use specific language and active verbs in concise sentences.

So what relevant information can you include on your resume if you don't have much work
experience? Recent college graduates can list campus activities and relate them to the position —
the same goes for people looking to change careers. Don't try to hide your inexperience behind
meaningless language; instead, appear up-front and eager to learn, which a resume reader will
appreciate. After you've got a few relevant jobs under your belt, however, you can start to take
college details and less relevant work experience off your resume.

It can be difficult to assess what skills to tout on your resume. First, think about what skills the
employer seeks and examine which ones play to your strengths. If you're particularly apt at
generalized skills that apply to most jobs, such as people skills, by all means include them.

This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com.

However, because so many claim to have such nebulous skills, try to back up your assertions with
evidence.

Aside from facts, don't underestimate presentation. Resumes should be clean without any
extravagant, distracting graphics or colors. Of course, the writing should be consistent across the
board — verb tense, headings format, indentions and the like. Otherwise, you will confuse the
reader. To avoid clutter, use plenty of white space, which is easy on the eyes. Don't use excessively
small font; 10- to 12-point fonts are best. Although these tips might seem counterintuitive to
maximizing space, your language should be concise and strong enough to convey extensive
experience and accomplishments.

While we're on the subject of length, note that some experts don't confine resumes to one page
anymore. Especially experienced candidates should feel free to use two pages (or sometimes
more). If you do use multiple pages, list your name on the top of each one. No matter how many
pages you have, if you're submitting a hard copy to a prospective employer, you should cough up
the extra money to print your resume on nice paper and with a sophisticated printer.

A cover letter should always accompany your resume. Although this, too, should be concise, a
cover letter gives you an opportunity to explain why you're a perfect fit for the job in question.

This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com.

Quiz

1 Which answer choice describes two central ideas of the article?

(A) Some resumes include bright colors and graphic images. Most employers will find these kinds of stunts
more annoying than interesting when they see them.

(B) All resumes should include your name and contact information at the top of the page. People who have
more experience can send resumes with more than one page.

(C) The resume you send to an employer may only be looked at for a few seconds. Many resume readers
create guidelines with rules and suggestions for resume writing.

(D) A resume is your first chance to get an employer's attention by standing out. Resumes should include
clear and relevant information while avoiding clutter or distractions.

2 Read the following paragraphs from the article.

We've assembled some expert advice on what to include and, perhaps more importantly, what to
omit from your resume. Overall, keep in mind that your ultimate goal should be to land an
interview — leave them wanting more. It's easy to lose sight of this goal, so internalize it as
mantra. With that in mind, let's go over the major parts of a resume.
Although you want your resume to stand out, adhering to a conventional format will allow
employers to find the information they want easily. Let's go over the components every resume
should have.

How is the central idea developed in these two paragraphs?

(A) by emphasizing the contrast between a neatly revised and a messy resume

(B) by elaborating on the different parts that everyone should put on a resume

(C) by introducing and reiterating key advice about the goals of a resume

(D) by illustrating the need for everyone to have a mantra to repeat on a resume

3 Read the selection from the article.

If you're particularly apt at generalized skills that apply to most jobs, such as people skills, by all
means include them. However, because so many claim to have such nebulous skills, try to back
up your assertions with evidence.

What is the BEST definition of "nebulous" as it is used in the selection above?

(A) hard to define or prove

(B) hazy or difficult to look at

(C) common or dull on paper

(D) clear to anyone or obvious

This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com.

4 Read the selection from the article.

No matter how many pages you have, if you're submitting a hard copy to a prospective employer,
you should cough up the extra money to print your resume on nice paper and with a sophisticated
printer.

How does using the phrase "cough up" affect the tone of the selection?

(A) It creates a happy tone by using sarcasm.

(B) It creates a casual tone by using an idiom.

(C) It creates an annoyed tone by suggesting waste.

(D) It creates a nervous tone by suggesting illness.

This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com.