How to write an effective résumé

You can write your résumé better and faster by following guidelines used by professional résumé writers.

WRITE FROM THE BOTTOM UP

• Start by putting the “easy” information at the bottom. This usually includes education, certifications, honors, awards, affiliations and other categories with facts to be organized (not written).

• Put the oldest positions first. You don’t have to say much about them, so they’re quick and easy.

• Next, write recent job descriptions. These will generally take more time because you’ll include more detail about responsibilities and achievements as they relate to your objectives.

• Finish by writing the all-important summary. Use this section to instantly communicate who you are and the value you bring.

CREATE COMPELLING CONTENT

• Create interesting and well-written content that engages readers. If the content isn’t strong, neither you nor your résumé will be memorable.

• Get to the point with the most important information first. Don’t hide results at the end of a long paragraph. Highlight successes at the beginning.

• Focus on specific and concrete language, facts and information. Eliminate unnecessary adjectives and meaningless detail.

• Avoid jargon and résumé lingo. Write the way you speak – naturally.

FORMAT FOR READABILITY, SKIMABILITY

• Use format to guide readers through your résumé. Large headings make it easy to find different sections, bold job titles make them pop, and other font choices showcase your achievements and draw the eye to important information.

• Use a large enough font size. Make sure your résumé is easy to read when viewed at 100 percent on a screen and when printed.

• Present information in quick “bites.”

• No long, dense paragraphs (three to four lines maximum) or lengthy bullet points (one to two lines).

• No long “laundry lists” of bullet points; break them into small groups with subheadings.

See what you can do to make the content in your résumé richer and the visual presentation stronger. Everything counts in résumé writing.

Wendy Enelow is co-author of “Expert Résumés for Military-to-Civilian Transitions” and “Expert Résumés for Career Changers.”