The résumé is a written formal profile of an individual’s knowledge, skills, and abilities that is presented to potential employer(s).  No employer wants to waste time reviewing a résumé to determine suitability of an applicant, the résumé must be well-written so that the employer can quickly identify the skills and experience of the applicant.  Anderson and Bolt as quoted by Williams (2015) recommended the following guidelines for preparing a good résumé:

• Establish a clear career objective/personal profile:

1. Both statements are used on résumés to relate to target career, target employer, introduce key skills, and express interest in a position.
2. Career objective: Used for individuals with little or no work experience
3. Personal Profile: Used for individuals with extensive career experience

Gather relevant information & create draft document with six key headings:

1. Education
2. Skills (technical and soft skills)
3. Employment
4. Languages
5. Honors and Awards
6. Professional/Community Involvement

• Select a proper layout:

Functional résumé layout (usually for entry-level positions; 1-page)
Chronological résumé layout (usually for higher level positions; two or more pages)

• Both résumé layouts present employment history and education in reverse time order
• Be consistent in layout, dates, and tense
• Résumé templates are acceptable; be creative and original

• Prepare the final draft of the résumé

1. Check for information that is frequently forgotten or not presented appropriately
2. Information heading: personal contact information–avoid personal information such as photographs, birth date, and marital status
3. Use a professional address)
4. Use easy to read font and size–black ink, 12–14 point Times New Roman or Arial
5. Do not list “References Available” on résumé

Resources

Simplified Sample Résumé with Functional Layout

Sample Resume Template 1

Sample Resume Template 1