Gator Advertising Board

With any resume, there’s a format that is generally accepted across all industries and trades. When applying for a particular position, keep in mind that the duties listed in the ad may not be the only duties you’ll be performing. Make your titles strong and put your accomplishments in their best light.

Overall there are six things to think about when writing your resume.

1. Sell yourself: One of the hardest things to do is to put yourself in the best light. People are often over-critical of themselves. Try to think of all the positive things you’ve done. What have you done in your previous positions? What things did people appreciate you for? Did you make a process easier by creating procedures? How have you used the skills you’ve learned in school? How have your organizational or communication skills improved?
2. Use active language: For each bullet point, use action words such as achieved, demonstrated, obtained, etc. These power words help to grab the eye of the reader.
3. Present information: Your education should be listed after the objective but before work experience. Include school, graduation date or anticipated graduation date, and GPA. There are several different ways to present your experience. The most commonly used is reverse chronological order (most recent experience first).
4. Be consistent: Choose a pattern of spacing, an order of information presentation, or a format of highlighting, and be consistent throughout.
5. Check for grammar: Always double-check your grammar. Never send out a resume with spelling errors on it. Another good idea is to have a friend look at it as they may see something you’ll miss.
6. Neatness and visual appeal: When printing your resume, do so on professional-looking paper (white). Any other color may look unprofessional and be hard to read. If you’re emailing it, make sure the layout will look right electronically. Many companies scan resumes, and it is very difficult when you use different fonts, large creative logos, and colors. Be aware of where you are sending it.