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Always include on your resume:
1. Name, Address, and Telephone Number. Even if you have your telephone number on a cover letter, it should always be on your resume. How else can someone contact you?
2. Skills and Experience. This is the flesh and blood of your resume, the reason you'll be looked at carefully or passed by. Even if you are just getting out of school and about to embark on your first job hunt, include something here so that the employer will see that you've got what he or she needs.
3. Education and Training. The length of this section will be in inverse proportion to the amount of on-the-job experience you have. You will always want to have some mention of your education on your resume.
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The Deadly resume sins:
1. The word "Resume." Don't title your resume "Resume". You probably wouldn't want to work for anyone who didn't recognize a resume as a resume.
2. Personal statistics. Information such as, "Married, with two children. 5'10", 180 lbs. In excellent health," should not put you in better standing with a potential employer.
3. Job references. Wait until the employer asks for references before you provide them.
4. Photos. Unless you are an actor or a model looking in that industry for work, don't include one with your resume.
5. Personality profiles. Phrases like, "team player," "enthusiastic," and "self-starter" are generally ignored by hiring managers. After all, you wrote them about yourself. Let your experience speak for itself.
6. Testimonials. These don't belong on a resume. You can attach a letter written by an employer, on company letterhead to your resume, but it is better if you just bring things like this to the interview.
7. Salary information. Providing salary information before being asked for it could eliminate you from being considered for a position. You might be "too expensive". You might also let a potential employer know how little they can get away with paying you.
Tips for a great-looking resume:
1. Limit your resume to one or two pages. Don't cut out important information to get your resume to fit on one page. Never go more then two pages. Don't shrink your font size to get all the information to fit, readjust your wording if you need to.
2. If you have a two-page resume, you should put "continued" at the bottom of the first page. On the top of the second page, put your name and "page 2". This will help if the pages get separated.
3. Use a serif typeface. Palatino, Bookman, Times, Courier and Souvenir examples of a serif typeface. They are easier to read and will look more professional.
4. Select a readable size. Use either 10-point or 12-point for the body of your resume. Headings can be up to 2 points higher.
5. Use wide margins. Never use any less than a half-inch border on the sides and bottom and use at least one inch at the top. This creates lots of white space on your resume and will make it look less cluttered and easier to read.
6. Use the "ragged right" layout. Don't "right justify" your resume. The ragged edge of the text will create more white on your page.
7. Use single line spacing within listings and double spacing between sections and paragraphs.
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