Jen's guide to getting a cool job without freaking out - Part III: Résumé revolution

By Jen Lass

A résumé is more than just a big list of everything you've accomplished in your life. It has a distinct purpose and structure. A résumé is supposed to give a potential employer a brief summary of your experience and strongest skills. Be aware that résumés can also be called 'curriculum vitaes' or 'CVs'.

Back to the Basics
Before writing your résumé, you should create a rough draft based on these basic rules:

Keep it Short - A résumé should never be more than two pages long, including hobbies and outside interests.

No Extras - Only provide references with your résumé if you are asked to do so. If you are including references with your job application, they may appear on a third page and are not included in the two-page résumé limit. You should have three references that you've worked for on the job or while volunteering. Teachers or professors can also be used as character references.

Stick to the Point - List your information with clear headings and elaborate on your achievements in point form using action verbs as in this example: "Organized and coordinated the 1999 Mill Street Food Drive." Using full sentences and paragraphs will only crowd your résumé making it longer and harder to read. Employers sometimes receive hundreds of résumés and must be able to scan them quickly.

Avoid Being Personal - At the top of your résumé, include your contact information. There is no need to give other details, like your marital status or age. It is illegal for employers to ask about many of these more personal facts, and by volunteering this information you are putting them in an awkward position.

First Impressions are Important - Highlight your most impressive accomplishments on the first page of your résumé. Sometimes this is the only page an employer will read. If you have solid work experience, but have weaker grades, list your skills first and then your relevant work history before outlining your education. On the other hand, if your grades are strong and you've won academic awards, this information should appear at the top of your résumé.

Be Specific About Your Objective - Only include an objective if it is specific. Claiming to want to "find a company where I can utilize my skills in the IT industry" is too broad. Everyone wants to use and improve their skills. This is a waste of space unless it serves a focused purpose.

Be Concrete - More and more employers are interested in knowing the direct impact you've had in previous work environments. Try to include examples of positive outcomes that you initiated like landing a large account that increased the company's profit margin, or developing a more efficient database system.

Structural Simplicity - So now that you know the secrets behind a successful résumé, organizing your information will be a snap. The most commonly accepted and preferred format is the Chronological Résumé. This structure requires that you list your education and relevant job experience in order from the most to the least recent.

Another option, if your work experience is weak, is to emphasize your skill set. In this format, you would group your skills into categories, like interpersonal, communication, computer, and organizational before outlining your employment and educational backgrounds.

At the end of your résumé, you may list extra-curricular activities that are to the job you're applying for. These activities demonstrate that you're unique, interesting, well-rounded and have a life beyond work or school. It's all right to mention hobbies like sports, volunteer work or unusual interests. However, if your outside interests are common such as reading, going to the movies or going for long walks, avoid including hobbies and interests on your résumé. The purpose of this section is to highlight the fact that you're extraordinary, not ordinary. Finally, if you're not including references with your application add a line at the bottom of your résumé stating, 'References available upon request.'