Seven Tips for the First-Time Resume Writer

Writing a resume is daunting, especially if you are a first-timer.  You have to list all of your best qualities on a single sheet of paper, without exaggerating and without leaving out important information.  Not only that, but you have to make yourself look better than the next person's resume; maybe the next 100 people's resumes, depending on how popular the job opening is.  And on top of that, you've got only about 15 seconds to hook your reader's attention while he or she is glancing over everything you painstakingly put together.  Resumes take a lot of time and some handling of data about you and your employment history.  Now do you expect--this being your first time to write a resume--that you are going to do well?  Not without these seven tips you need to know before even starting:

1.  Let's start from the top.

At the top of your resume, you need your name, address, phone number(s), and email address.  Your address needs to be a "permanent" address, so if you are a college student, it's best to choose your parents' address where companies can always get into contact with you no matter how many different dorms you switch around to.  As for your email address, don't use your personal one if it looks unprofessional (do I even need to give an example?  You know what I'm talking about).  If you have an unprofessional email address, simply set up a second one just for business opportunities.

2. The attention-grabber comes next.

Next is your objective and summary of skills.  This needs to be short and sweet.  You need to show as fast and simply as you can why you are right for the job.  And remember, this isn't about what you want out of the job; this is about what you offer the company.  You are selling yourself.

3. Choose your resume style.

There are three resume styles: chronological, functional, and the combination of the two.  Chronological resumes focus on your job experience.  You list your previous jobs from most recent and work backwards.  Functional resumes focus on your skills.  Each section is titled by a specific skill.  The third style is best for the first-time resume-writer, since you don't have much in skills or employment history.  Divide your categories accordingly: work experience, academic experience, and community service/extracurricular experience.

4. Brainstorming will enlighten you.

You may not think you offer as many skills and experiences as you actually have.  You need to start looking at your past employment history in a new light.  Even personal experiences (like volunteer work) can contribute to your repertoire.  Think of times when you truly had to use your management skills or time-prioritizing skills.  Think of when you handled finances or when you suddenly had a lot of responsibility to take care of.  Think of when you solved problems creatively.  And especially think about what skills the job position for which you are applying requires.  You have more to offer than you realize, but if you don't figure that out, neither will your potential employer.  So start brainstorming now and build up your reader's impression of you.

5. Make your academic and volunteer work relevant.

All of the activities and work you handled while in school show your level of ability and responsibility.  Your computer skills are vital.  The many major projects you completed will show various skills you picked up during your academic years.  Extracurricular activities can show leadership and teamwork capabilities in you.  Think sports, clubs, volunteer organizations, etc.  As already mentioned, you have more skills and experiences to offer than you realize.  Take the time to make your past relevant to your future.

6. Your writing style needs to be professional

Don't write in first-person or second-person: no "I" or "you" or "we."  Don't use bland words to describe; pull out your thesaurus and make your sentences come to life.  Use active instead of passive verbs when possible.  Write clearly and concisely--your resume, without exception, should only be one page.  No one wants to flip through multiple pages of a resume.  Also, take the time to edit and proofread your resume.  Nothing says "unprofessional" like a poorly written and unedited resume.

7. In all that you do, DON'T LIE.