[ Layout and positioning for Critique List: Resume, Cover and Thank You Letters ]
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Does
the overall appearance make an employer want to read it? |
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Is the layout professional? There should be no
errors or smudge marks. |
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Keep your resume brief, 1 to 2 pages. |
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Your
name should be listed at the top of every page. |
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Should be typed on a computer or typewriter on 8 ½" X 11" paper with 1"
margins. |
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Avoid fancy fonts,
size should be 10 or 12 using conservative styles that are not mixed. |
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Important titles should be underlined. Use bold and capital letters only when
appropriate. |
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Avoid
exotic colored paper, photographs and graphics. |
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Use black
ink. |
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One typographical
error can greatly diminish your chances, two or more, can land your resume in the garbage. Do not rely on
spell check! Proofread, and show your resume to several
friends to have them proofread it as well. This document is a reflection of
you and should be absolutely perfect. |
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Emphasize your skills and accomplishments. Is the information organized so
it is easy to read? If the employer just skims through it, would their eyes
pick up the key points? |
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Arrange the resume so it is pleasing to the eye, care should be taken
to ensure there is plenty of white space between the different areas in the
format of the resume and in the margins. The white spaces makes a document easy to read and serves as punctuation to separate ideas when a person is
scanning the resume quickly. |
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Consider the scannability of your resume. Be focused toward a
particular job, include keywords. A good way to determine keywords is to read job
descriptions for positions that interest you. If you see industry buzzwords,
incorporate them into your resume. |
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Learn how to emphasis your strong points and accomplishments, which will make you stand out from your competition. |
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Did you account for all periods of time?
The employer will look for this. |
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Does your resume sell your problem-solving abilities? |
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Do your strengths stand out? Is it easy to get a clear picture of your
qualifications? |
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Do statements begin with
action verbs? Are verb tenses consistent? Have your resume proofread by someone who is good in grammar and
spelling. |
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Has irrelevant information been eliminated? Could your resume tell the same story if it were shortened? Can the same information be limited to one page? |
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Is the employment objective well-written and clear?
Tailoring your resume to the job you are applying for increases your success
rate. |
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Is your resume crisp, to the point, creative
and visually presentable? Most of
all,
does it demonstrate your professionalism? |
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