Resumes

On average, employers take 30 seconds to read a resume. Get the employer’s attention – make them want to read more!

What is a resume?

Stress your skills and accomplishments
Use strong statements beginning with “Action Verbs” (e.g. Organized, researched, advised.)…not “I” statements
Describe how you used or developed your skills (e.g. presented community research to audience of 30 people)
Provide only relevant information
Update resume when employment, training etc. circumstances change
Include an “Objective” only if it is specific (list the type of work or field of interest) e.g. Part-time Customer Service position in a department store
List your skills and responsibilities accurately and at the level you can perform
Check and double-check that there are no spelling, grammar or typing errors
Do not include personal information such as age, marital status, SIN#, height, etc.
Only list Company Name and city, not employers address or telephone numbers
Do not include supervisor’s name, reason for leaving, and last rate of pay
Keep a list of references on a separate sheet not on the resume
Include information from relevant areas of your life, e.g. work, volunteer, school, clubs, sports, interests

Highlight areas by using bullets, capitals, or bolding
Limit use of highlighting features
Use an easy to read font, and a font size of 11-12 pt for body of text, 16-18 pt for Your Name and 13-14 for headings
Never make hand written corrections
Keep it easy to read - well spaced and uncrowded.
Leave lots of ‘white space’ between print.
Always use originals. (Avoid using photocopies of photocopies.)
Do not exceed 2 typed pages
Print on good quality paper
Use graphics and creativity only if applying for a graphic/artistic position

Emphasis is on employers and dates of employment – where you have worked and when.

Great for job seekers with related job experience and who have worked at jobs for a good length of time
List most recent job first and work backwards
Write brief description of your main responsibilities and accomplishments
Cut down descriptions of very early jobs or ones not directly related to your current job objective
Do no repeat a job description for an earlier job if you have already explained it for a more recent one
When describing past positions that are self-explanatory (e.g. waiter, counterperson, gas bar attendant) do not detail minor or routine duties

Emphasis is on the skills, areas of knowledge and know-how
Indicates what you have learned and what abilities you can offer a prospective employer.

Perfect for those who possess more skills than work experience
Demonstrates transferable skills
Skills should be categorized clearly and should be briefly analyzed or described
Employers and dates of employment should appear after the skills section - you do not have to relate particular skills to corresponding employers
Useful to cover a spotty work record or history of frequent job changes

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