Resume Writing

From BeavrWiki

Below I summarized what OSU Career Services describes as the top 10 pitfalls in resume writing.

1. It's too long.
   1. While resumes are normally 1 page, a professional 2 page resume is accepted.
   2. Your education level should be near the top of your resume. If you are a sophomore in college, you have gained more eduacation than half of the people living in the US. Be proud of your education level Since most employers just skim through resumes, if you place your education level toward the top they be more likely to see it.

1. There's spelling and/or grammar errors:
   1. Suggests carelessness, laziness, etc.
   2. Don't be afraid to have a friend, professor, or advisor proofread it.

1. Hard to read:
   1. Need to strive for professionalism and not just attempted to make it look fancy.
   2. Select a plain typeface and use nothing smaller than 12pt. font for the main typing.

1. Not precise and condensed enough:
   1. Should stay away from complete sentences
   2. Avoid slang

1. Too Sparse:
   1. Don't just give bare elements
   2. Use descriptive verbs
   3. Describe activities, Honor Societies, clubs, etc.

1. Irrelevant Information
   1. Leave out marital status, age, weight, health, etc.
   2. Customize your resume to the job/internship your applying for; highlight skills relevant to job
   3. Don't list all accomplishments you had during high school. List a few major awards or titles held, but don't go into detail.
   4. Emphasis on your recent accomplishments

1. Way too generic:
   1. Don't give off the feel that you're simply trying to find any job you can get
   2. Let employer know you are truly interested in that company
   3. List information relevant to you. If you don't have work experience, list your volunteer work. If you are really good with computers, list those programs

1. Too fancy or overdone:
   1. Don't add pictures or graphics, and stay away from flashy colored paper
   2. Quality paper is suggested however stay in the white or beige families

1. Boring:
   1. Use active verbs!
   2. Avoid repeating words and take advantage of the white space

1. Too modest:
   1. This is your chance to brag (in a professional manner); do not feel like you need to be super humble
   2. You are competing with other qualified individuals so you need to show that you are the one they want to hire