A resume is like a bowl of ramen noodles. Based on the look and smell we determine how the food will taste before the first bite. Employers look at resumes the way we look at food. Your resume needs to be neat, include the necessary ingredients, and uniquely describe you or employers won’t even take a bite. Getting all of that in one bowl can be hard, so here are some crucial Do’s and Don’ts of writing a flavorful resume that can set you above the rest.
Do
1. Good Flow & Format
Getting the ingredients into the bowl is one thing, making it perk up the senses of the employer is another. The layout of your resume can make all the difference. A good, simple layout makes it easy to read allowing important information and relevant qualifications to stand out.
2. Quantify Things
When possible, add special spices to your resume by quantifying your experience and skills. Using $’s, #’s, and %’s makes it simple to see how you have preformed and gives hard facts of what you accomplished.
3. Use Action Verb Statements
Using action verb statements make your dish pop. They make it easy for the employer to know what your past experience is all about. Good statements make for easy and effective skimming, which means the employer gets more information about you.
Don’t
1. Include Personal Pronouns
One spice to hold back on is personal pronouns such as I, Me, and My and other pronouns such as we, he, her, etc. These take away from professional flavors that are so crucial to your resume. Excluding this spice will keep your resume from being bland and repetitious.
2. Have large blocks of descriptions/ words
Including too much of any ingredient makes it hard to find information quickly. Having too much means the employer misses important information and gives them a quick reason to skip over your dish. Stay away from paragraphs, bulleted lists are a great way to go.