Resume best practices

Here are some best practices to consider when creating or updating a resume

1. Use a blank Word document so you control all your space, and you will only use headings that are meaningful for your resume. 

2. Use professional fonts – Aptos, Arial, Calibri, Cambria, Garamond, and other sans serif fonts, are easily readable for quick review by a hiring manager.
3. Point size – Headings  (11 to 14 points) should be slightly larger than the rest of the text (10 to 12 points). Use bold text as appropriate in formatting, use all caps sparingly, and underlining text is not typically recommended. 

What to include

1. Contact Information: This ensures potential employers can easily reach out to you. Begin your resume with your full name and contact information, including your phone number and a professionally named email address. You may also want to include a link to your LinkedIn profile, but only if it is current and complete. Your physical address is not necessary, but city and state may be added, especially if you think it might be to your advantage. This section does not have a heading, other than your name, which is often bolded and in a slightly larger font size than the rest of the contact information.
2. (Optional section) Professional Summary: Write a few statements that concisely describe your most valuable qualifications as they relate to the job for which you are applying. This may or may not have a specific heading, and it lets reviewers quickly see that you have the qualifications they are seeking. 
3. Experience: Choose an appropriate heading for this section (examples include Experience, Professional Experience, Work Experience, Related Experience, etc.) and list your work history in reverse chronological order, starting with your most recent position. For each job, provide your position title, start and end dates of employment (month and year are sufficient), employer name with city and state, and bulleted details about your work and any specific achievements. Start each bullet point with an action verb (present tense for current job; past tense for previous jobs) and include quantifiable facts wherever possible.   
4. Education: Include details about your educational qualifications, such as the degrees you have earned, the institutions you attended, and any relevant certifications or training programs. 
5. (Optional section) Key Skills: This is usually a bulleted list (in two or three columns) showing the technical skills, verifiable soft skills, and specialized knowledge that match those specified in the job description of the position you are applying for. These could include technical skills, verifiable soft skills, and any specialized knowledge related to your field.  
6. (Optional section) Volunteer Experience, Leadership Experience, Awards, Affiliations (hobbies, interests only if they are relevant): Choose/create a heading for this section that best fits what you are including under it (for example: Leadership and Affiliations). Each person’s experience is unique, and so is their resume. Only use the sections that are applicable to your work history. Also, consider how any of the sections might make you a better fit for the position.    

Remember these additional tips

• Use short statements instead of complete sentences. 

• Be consistent in formatting (font, margins, bold/italics). 

• Avoid personal pronouns (“I,” “my”) and abbreviations. 

• Keep your resume concise, and limit it to one or two pages.