Writing a Professional Resume: 10 Tips and Tricks that will Help You to Write Your CV

Your resume needs to be professional and polished because if you don t have a professional resume your application materials probably won t get a second glance from any hiring manager. Your resume should be easy to read - avoid tiny fonts dense blocks of text vague language or excessive jargon and inconsistent formatting. Read below to learn more of the do s and don ts of creating a professional resume.

An unprofessional resume – one that is difficult to read confusing covered in errors or unrelated to the job the person is applying for – will get tossed in the trash right away. Hiring managers often get dozens even hundreds of applicants for each job. An unprofessional resume makes you look unprofessional as a job seeker and will cost you a possible job.

I ve seen resumes that are riddled with typos. I ve seen resumes that are inconsistent - bullets in some places dashes in others bold in some headings plain text in others. One of the worst examples of a supposedly professional resume was a resume on bright green neon paper. That one was sent via FedEx so I would be sure to notice it. Your resume to be effective needs to be consistent concise and clear and easy to read.

1- Select the best resume type. There are several basic types of resumes used to apply for job openings. Depending on your personal circumstances choose a chronological functional combination or targeted resume. Taking the time to choose the best type of resume for your situation is well worth the effort.

2- Make it legible. Your resume should be easy to read. You want the hiring manager to easily read and absorb your work history and accomplishments. Therefore use a legible font (such as Times New Roman Arial or Calibri). Make sure the font is not too big or too small (choose font size between 10 and 12).

3- Also be sure that there is enough white space on the page to make it easy to scan. Avoid dense blocks of text and use standard margins. Use white- or cream-colored paper if you are sending a physical resume – colored paper can be very distracting.

4- Be consistent. Professional resumes need to have consistent formatting. For instance if you use bullet points to describe your responsibilities and achievements at one position be sure to use bullet points on all other positions as well. Also make certain that the bullet points are formatted the same way throughout. For example don t use circle bullet points in one section and diamond bullet points in another section. Be consistent with font font size and style (such as use of bold and italics).

5- Keep it focused. It s important not to include extraneous information. Your resume should focus on the skills and attributes that qualify you for the job. Here are the top 15 things not to include on your resume.

6- Use resume examples and templates. Use a resume example or template to help you write your resume. An example can help you decide what information to include. Templates can help you format your resume. However whenever you use a resume example or template be sure to customize your resume so it reflects your skills and abilities and the jobs you are applying for.

7- Get creative. If you are in a creative field you might use a free resume website to build a creative resume that includes all the facets of a traditional resume with add-ons like video infographics and links to your accomplishments. However only do this if you are in a creative industry. Otherwise stick to a traditional resume.

8- Carefully edit your resume. Spelling and grammar errors can make an applicant seem inattentive to details. Review these proofing guidelines to ensure that your resume is consistent and error free.

9- Get resume help. Writing a resume is hard work and it s important to get help or at least have your resume reviewed before you send it to employers. Consider using a career counselor or other professional resume service to help you make sure your resume is professional and polished.

10- Check your resume. This resume checklist includes the information you need to include in your resume. Use the checklist to make sure you have included all relevant information in your resume.