Top 10 Resume Writing Tips for Success

Looking for a Little Resume Writing Advice?

Here are 10 resume writing tips to help you create a winning resume and get the job you've been dreaming of...

Effective resume writing is not hard. But it does take time, effort, and the right attitude. I know you can do it, and I'm here to help with the free resume writing help and advice you need to succeed...

Tip #1: Gather your background materials.

To complete your resume, you'll need to know your dates of employment at each of your previous jobs and when you went to school. You'll also need to be able to describe your skills and accomplishments on the job, so put some thought into those areas.

Tip #2: Decide on a format.

Before you can start writing a resume, you'll need to decide if the functional or chronological format will work best for you. Remember, you want to put yourself and your abilities in the best light.

Tip #3: Put together a general outline.

A resume outline will help you get organized and will prevent you from overlooking any essential pieces of information that should be included.

Tip #4: Research prospective employers.

Spending time on this research will help you with your resume, with the cover letter that goes with your resume, and with the upcoming interview. Make sure you know what qualities will most benefit the employer and think about how your abilities match those qualities. (Read another resume writing tip on how to target.)

Tip #5: Plan, plan, plan.

Before you actually start writing, spend time just thinking about how you'll present yourself in the resume. What is your objective in seeking a job? This objective should serve as a sort of bull's-eye to structure your resume around. What have been your most significant accomplishments? You’ll want to highlight them. What unique qualities do you bring to an employer? Think in terms of benefits.

Also think about the resume design you'll use, the fonts within, and the resume wording.

Tip #6: Start writing, following your outline.

Take your time. Use a lot of action words. Be concise. Don't use "responsibilities included" or "responsible for." It's a waste of space. Use bullets, rather than long paragraphs.

Tip #7: Paste your content into your resume template.

If you're at this site, you're probably not an experienced, professional resume writer. So, take a resume tip from a pro. Use a resume template. There is no reason why your resume must look amateurish.

Tip #8: Review, edit, and proofread like a maniac.

One of the biggest resume mistakes is typos or grammatical errors. These errors may seem trivial, but they can cost you the interview, and ultimately the job. After all, if you can't be bothered to make sure that your resume is 100% accurate, what guarantee is there that your job performance will be high caliber?

Tip #9: Get someone else you trust to look at it.

It can be really helpful to get someone who knows you to look at your resume. Not only are they more likely to catch simple errors, but they may point out strengths you've missed or underemphasized.

Tell them you want their honest opinion and you're open to questions. Use their input to clarify your resume. Even if you write your own resume, you may want to think about getting a professional to do a resume critique.

And if you can't afford a professional review, you might want to try out our peer review center, where you can still get an unbiased eye to look at it.

Tip #10: Send it out into the world.

The more resumes you submit, the more likely you are to get an interview. Don't put all your eggs in one basket by applying for only one job. And, don't be afraid to take some risks and apply for a job you're interested in, even if you don't quite match all the qualifications. Most employers ask for many more qualifications than they absolutely require.

Hopefully, at least some of the resume writing tips on this page have given you some food for thought. But don't stop your training here! There are many more resume writing tips where this came from...

Just take some time to explore all of the resume writing tips you'll find throughout the pages of this website by clicking the links on this page and the buttons on the navigation bar to the left. You'll get all the free resume writing help you need!