The Dos And Don’ts Of Writing A Resume

Your Resume is the highlight reel of your overall professional career. It is the first point of contact for the employer to have an idea about your professional and academic snapshot. Hence, you need to make sure to make your Resume worth reading. 

To help you make the best impression possible, we've compiled a list of dos and don'ts of resume writing.

The DOs of Writing A Strong Resume

While most people often talk about the don’ts in a Resume, what you need to understand is that you won’t require any changes, if you’re following the Dos of writing a strong resume, first. Hence, we’ll start off with the Dos first. 

1. Always Tailor Your Resume According To The Job

Make sure your resume is specifically tailored to the job you're applying for. This means highlighting the skills and experience that match the job requirements and using keywords from the job description.

2. Always Use a Professional and ATS-friendly Format

Your resume should be visually appealing, easy to read, and use a professional and ATS-friendly format that is consistent throughout, and incorporates the right keywords. Use bullet points, clear headings, and appropriate font size (between 10 and 12 points) to make your resume easy to scan.

3. Always Highlight Your Achievements

Rather than just listing your job responsibilities, focus on your accomplishments and highlight the impact you made in your previous roles. Use specific examples and quantify your achievements with numbers and percentages where possible.

4. Always Proofread Your Resume

Typos and grammatical errors can make a negative impression on potential employers, so proofread your resume carefully and have someone else review it as well. Use a spell-checker and grammar-checker to catch any errors.

5. Don’t Forget To Include Relevant Education And Experiences

List your education in reverse chronological order, starting with your most recent degree or certification. If you have limited work experience, emphasize your education and any relevant coursework or projects.

6. Incorporate Action Verbs In Your Resume

Use strong action verbs such as "managed," "developed," "achieved," and "implemented" to describe your accomplishments. Avoid using passive language such as "responsible for" or "duties included."

7. Quantify Your Accomplishments

Use numbers and percentages to quantify your accomplishments and demonstrate the impact you made in your previous roles.

8. Always Include Your Contact Information

Make it easy for potential employers to contact you by including your name, phone number, email address, and LinkedIn profile (if applicable) at the top of your resume. Make sure your email address is professional and not something like "[email protected]."

The Don’ts To Avoid In Resume Writing

As we’ve discussed the Dos of resume writing above, it is equally important to take note of the don’ts to avoid tarnishing your Resumes standing in the job market. 

While you may find that some don’ts are connected with the Dos, it is crucial to mention them separately as well. 

Following are the don’ts that you should avoid, prior to writing your Resume:

1. Never Use An Unprofessional Email Address

Also mentioned in our Dos, always use a professional email address that includes your name, such as [email protected]. Avoid using email addresses that are unprofessional or inappropriate, such as “[email protected].”

2. Don't Use A Generic Resume

Avoid sending out the same generic resume to every job you apply for. Instead, tailor your resume to the job you're applying for, highlighting the skills and experience that match the job requirements.

3. Avoid Including Irrelevant Information

Your resume should be focused on your skills, qualifications, and experience that are relevant to the job you're applying for. Avoid including irrelevant information, such as your hobbies or personal interests.

4. Never Exaggerate Or Lie

Be honest about your skills, qualifications, and experience. Exaggerating or lying on your resume can have serious consequences and may even cost you the job.

5. Don't Use Difficult Font

Use a font that is easy to read, such as Arial or Times New Roman. Avoid using fonts that are difficult to read or unprofessional, such as Comic Sans or Papyrus.

6. Avoid Including Your Photo

Unless specifically requested, don't include a photo on your resume. In many countries, including the United States, it is illegal for employers to ask for a photo as part of the hiring process.

Final Thoughts

All in all, writing a strong resume requires careful attention to detail, a focus on the most relevant and impactful information, and a commitment to professionalism and honesty. To ensure your resume makes the best impression possible, we’ve listed down the important dos and don’ts of writing a resume.

For the Dos, you need to tailor your resume to the job, use a professional format, highlight your achievements, proofread carefully, include relevant education and training, use action verbs, quantify your accomplishments, customize your resume for each job, and include your contact information.

For the don’ts, you need to avoid using an unprofessional email address, a generic resume, irrelevant information, exaggeration or false information, difficult fonts, and photos (unless specifically requested).

By following these guidelines, you can create a resume that accurately reflects your skills, qualifications, and experience, and makes a positive impression on potential employers. With a well-crafted resume in hand, you'll be ready to take the next step in your career and land your dream job.