1. Font changes
Choose a font and size and use it throughout the resume (with the exception of your name, which should be larger). I recommend 20 fonts for the name and 11 fonts for the body.
Lines, boxes and borders: oh my! Lose them all! They just tear up the resume. Keep it clean by underlining only the headings (Experience, Education, Skills, etc.) and don’t use other lines.
3. Continuity format
Make sure your format is the same everywhere. It should be easy to read, cleanly structured, and consistent from start to finish.
4. Paragraphs are for books, not resumes
An easy-to-read resume is written more like an outline than an essay. I recommend using bullet points under each job title to list your responsibilities, successes, etc.
5. Grammar
A resume should not be written in sentences; therefore, you never need a period at the end of a line. Resumes should be lists of skills, successes, etc. – keep it simple.
6. Size matters
The length of your resume does matter, but it’s no longer required that it be one page or only cover the last ten years of your career. Ideally, the resume should be a true reflection of your experience. If you are more experienced, be brief with your descriptions. One or two pages is fine, but try not to go over three.
7. Stretching the truth
Be very careful when you falsify dates, change titles, tamper with salaries, or worse, claim to have a degree or certification that you didn’t actually earn. I’ve heard too many stories of referrals being made and candidates stuck. If that happens, you will lose more than just the job!
8. Spelling
It seems obvious to check the spelling over and over again. But don’t trust the spell checker! You can replace a misspelled word with one that is similar in spelling but is the wrong word altogether.
10. Objective/Profile
I do not recommend including a goal or profile at all. When it does, it often removes other positions that are not as you describe. For example, the person reading your resume might have thought of something for you that is out of the box. You might love it, but your goal might make them reconsider running it for you.
11. Sending out a resume before it’s perfectly professional
Errors show a lack of attention to detail, and this alone could cost you the job. The best way to avoid mistakes is to get expert advice from a good resume consultant.
