Fundamentals of a good resume
The following advice is based upon what has worked for the author as an employer.
Presentation
With almost everything we come into physical contact with in life looks make an impact. First impressions are invariably based upon what we see. It is the same with a resume. What it looks like at first glance will create an automatic initial impression, irrespective of the content. Therefore, for me at least, presentation is of paramount importance. This applies to the layout of the document, the style that has been adopted and the way the content has been written. In the first place it should be well spaced and, where appropriate, properly formatted. For example, a page full of words with no separation between paragraphs does not encourage one to read the document. Similarly, proper separation between the various sections of the resume are useful. As an example, details of different jobs should be clearly separated. A simple formula to follow would be as below: -
a) Cover sheet
b) Personal details
c) Work history
d) Education
e) Skills
f) Other information
Whilst I am aware that many would not consider a cover sheet necessary, my preference for this is based upon the fact that it protects the CV itself from any external damage, for example coffee/tea stains. It can always be discarded if such an event occurs.
Length
The number of pages covered by a resume has become a matter of debate over the years. There are those who consider that a resume of more than one page to be inappropriate, whilst others believe that the career and educational history will determine the length…
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