Commandments for Resume Writing

Exxperientia | May 20,2020

1. You will write more than one resume, targeting each one at a specific audience:

This is the golden rule of resume writing. You must tailor each resume for every position that you are applying for. Each varied position will need a different resume because they would require slightly different skill sets.

If you have minimal work experience, you’ll need to highlight different aspects of your job responsibilities to appeal to each individual hiring manager.

To figure out what skills the hiring manager is looking for, read the job description they wrote carefully. They list out the specialized skills you need to perform well. Simply include those specific skills on your resume (if you have those skills) and you’re set.

You’ll need to get creative with your work experience and demonstrate how the skills you currently have are transferrable into an unrelated position. In this way, you can write a tailored resume.

2. You will write descriptive bullet points that begin with action verbs

Writing in complete sentences will force you to be descriptive. The worst resumes are filled with boring, bland, 2-4 word descriptions like, “Wrote reports,” or “Dealt with customers.”

Each sentence should begin with an action verb, preferably one that best describes your responsibility. Some action verbs are better than others. For instance, the verb phrase “Managed 6 employees” is better than “Told 6 employees what to do”.

Here are some other excellent verbs you can use:

Use Verbs Like These to Start Your Bullet Points

• Managed

• Trained

• Saved

• Developed

• Created

• Sold

• Arranged

• Prepared

• Assisted

Basically, if it’s a verb and it sounds good, use it. On the other hand,

Don’t Use These Words to Start Your Bullet Points

• Pronouns (I, you, we, us)

• Adverbs (Quickly, smartly, intelligently, efficiently)

• Adjectives (Massive, huge, small, smart, quick, efficient, intelligent)

3. You will quantify your resume to the best of your ability, adding numbers to describe your experience.

Adding numbers to your resume makes them more descriptive and specific, which will catch the hiring manager’s attention. Numbers also allow you to show off your achievements and abilities that others may not have.

The rule of thumb here is this: if the duty you performed can be described in numbers, do so.

As examples the following show the demarcation between an unquantified and a quantified description. You could follow a similar approach to writing a description about any relevant activities undertaken by you which could include internships, projects, volunteer work etc.

Example 1: Administrative Assistant

Unquantified

Wrote reports for the direct manager, summarizing incoming data and suggesting courses of action.

Quantified

Wrote three 1,000-word reports per week for the direct manager, summarizing incoming data and suggesting courses of action.

Example 2: Manager

Unquantified

Managed and trained new employees to successfully open a new branch of our office while maintaining company standards

Quantified

Managed and trained 6 employees, successfully opening a new branch of our office while maintaining company standards.

Other items that can be quantified include:

• Customer satisfaction ratings

• Number of customers served daily

• The size of the company/establishment

• Total yearly/monthly/daily sales

• How much you outperformed your co-workers by

• How much money you saved the company

Using action verbs and quantifying will make your resume “Achievement Oriented.”

4. You will format your resume so that it is aesthetically pleasing and legible.

Follow these 10 simple rules to make an aesthetically pleasing resume.

The 5 DON’Ts of Resume Aesthetics:

1. DO NOT use font below size 10

2. DO NOT use crazy font styles

3. DO NOT write a “Wall of Text” (no spacing, too much text, too much information)

4. DO NOT use bright colors that are difficult to read

5. DO NOT include images

The 5 DO’S of Resume Aesthetics:

1. DO leave spaces between your work experiences to make reading easier

2. DO bold your headers

3. DO italicize sub-headers

4. DO create columns to save space and use more of the page

5. DO use bullet points to list job descriptions