Ten Tips for Writing Concise Resumés

by: Sharon LeBlanc
Consultant: Training and Research

In today’s world, brevity counts. Employers don’t have time, and simply refuse to read long resumés that could have been written in a much shorter space. Follow these simple rules to ensure your resumé gets read from beginning to end.

• Remove lengthy job descriptions. Instead, use a bulleted list of your most significant accomplishments.
• Focus on the last 10 years of your career. If something is important prior to that, briefly mention it without going into detail.
• Personal information (marital status, age, race, family or hobbies) does not belong on a resumé.
• Eliminate outdated technology or business skills.
• Don’t repeat information from similar jobs with different employers. Focus on transferable skills.
• Don’t waste valuable space with the obvious statement “References Available On Request.”
• Minimize pronouns (I, me, my) and articles (a, an, the).
• Avoid unnecessary words and phrases such as “responsible for” or “duties include.”
• Customize your resumé for your job target. Only include information relevant to that job.
• Do not include school transcripts, awards, or recommendation letters, unless specifically requested. Keep them to showcase at an interview.

Remember, short and to the point does it.