10 Step Guide to Writing a Resume

Use the guidelines below to help you create your professional resume. You may include additional sections as you see necessary.

1. Provide General Information: Enter your personal general and contact information, as you would like it to appear on you resume. Note: If you have a Middle name, you should include the name or include the “initial” in the middle name section; this is especially true for professionals.
2. Objective: Enter your objective in the beginning, and the type of job or company you would like to work with. Be as concise and to the point as possible. The objective section is used to give the prospective employer insight to your goals and career objectives. Use this section to make the first impression with the employer. Example of an objective: “To obtain a challenging and meaningful position that enables me to learn the accounting field and allows for advancement.” Click on Phrases and Action words to help get you started.
3. Employment Experience Enter Company name and location, Title and position held, the period that you worked for that employer, and the kind of work performed (the employment experience). Include any technologies used during the course of your work. Include any achievements you made to that employer during your employ. Always start with the most recent Employer first.
4. Education: Enter the degrees earned, the name of schools attended and the years when they were earned starting with the most recent. Include your Grade Point Average if necessary, but not required (will help if you received a GPA 3.5 or better). Click on Phrases and Action words to help get you started. Please note, if you have been in the workforce (working) for over five years, or have had more than three jobs during this period, you may choose to omit your high school information.
5. Special Skills Enter all special skills that you have. This would include any technical skills or non-technical skills that you may have. It is recommended to separate technical from non-technical skills in 2 different paragraphs. Technical skills are anything computer related, typing and telephone system skills, or machinery related skills. Non-Technical skills or “essential” skills are interpersonal communication (people) skills, decision-making and problem-solving skills and reading/writing/calculating skills.
6. Achievements/Awards If you have received awards relating to your field or through your education, enter it here along with the year it was received.
7. Publication: This optional section allows you to enter details about any published works you may have written or have been written about you.
8. Personal: Enter your current work status. Are you authorized to work, do you need visa sponsorship, are you a citizen. This can be a one-line statement. Avoid marital status, age, or hobbies and unrelated interests, unless they are directly related to the job you are applying for.
9. Summary: In this optional section you can summarize your goals and outlooks for your prospective employment that were not addressed in the other fields. NOTE: In most cases this field will not be necessary. However, you may enter any other information that you feel necessary for the employer to know about you.
10. References – Avoid unless requested.