10 Solid Resume-Writing Tips That Will Never Be Outdated

10 Solid Resume-Writing Tips That Will Never Be Outdated 10 Solid Resume-Writing Tips That Will Never Be Outdated The Internet is full of tips for writing perfect, pretty, attention-grabbing resumes. A quick search will give you dozens of suggestions to assist you as you build a document that is sure to help you land your dream job. Or so they say. The fact is, while many of those suggestions are useful, some are also the result of fads or trends that will fade in time. Instead of adding one more trendy list to that Internet logjam, here are 10 resume-writing tips that are likely to stand the test of time. 10 Solid Resume-Writing Tips That Will Never Be Outdated 1. Dont lie or exaggerate. Honesty should be your top priority when it comes to your resume. By all means, list your achievements, accomplishments, and skills, but do not embellish them or make stuff up. Nothing good will come of it, and thats a promise. 2. Get a professional email address. When you were in high school, partydude234@emailprovider.com or cutiepie6@myemail.com probably seemed like awesome email addresses. But youre a professional now. Make sure your email address reflects that. 3. Keep it simple and concise. You may be tempted to include every project youve completed or accolade youve received during your career, but resist that temptation. No manager wants to wade through a five-page resume. Hit the high points, and keep it short. 4. Make sure the information you share is relevant. This goes with the point above, but even a brief resume could include unnecessary information. Think about the position for which you are applying and focus your resume on the aspects of your background that prove you can do that job. 5. Focus on accomplishments. This advice comes from a World Economic Forum article, which says that an experience section filled with job descriptions can be exhaustive and lengthy. Focus on what you accomplished in your role, not everything that the role entails. Heres the test: If a bullet point can be put on someone elses resume, it is a job description (something that anyone in your position can do) and not an accomplishment specific to you. 6. Use numbers. Your accomplishments will be easier for a hiring manager to understand if they are easily quantifiable. Provide specific data to show what you did and how you succeeded. 7. Address any gaps in your career history. If you were out of work for a significant chunk of time, include basic information about it. Every potential employer will ask about this during an interview, so you might as well explain it up front. 8. Avoid personal information. A useful tip from Business Insider says, Dont include your marital status, religious preference, or Social Security number. This might have been the standard in the past, but all of this information is now illegal for your employer to ask from you, so theres no need to include it. That advice applies to hobbies, too, unless theyre relevant to the position you seek. 9. Dont get too fancy. Your resume is meant to convey information clearly and quickly. An elaborate design may grab attention, but it could also frustrate recruiters if its hard to navigate. A basic format using one or two fonts (and 10- to 12-point type), bullet points, and simple lists is the best way to go. 10. Remember the editors. Nothing is more jarring to a hiring manager than a resume riddled with grammatical and spelling errors. Ask at least two trusted friends or colleagues to carefully edit your resume. The more the better, as something that one person misses may stand out to another. These might not be the most trendy suggestions youll find when you ask the Internet for resume help. But if you follow them, you can rest assured that the information you provide recruiters will be clear, concise, and complete. If your goal is to help the company learn about you and what you can do, such a resume should at least help you get your foot in the door.