Hiring managers sift through countless resumes, so it’s essential to write and design yours to be scanned quickly. It will not be studied thoroughly.
Make sure it answers these six basic questions:
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How does the company contact you? List your name, mobile phone number, and personal email address. Remember, your work email address may soon be inaccessible.
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Where do you live? Location matters. List your address. At a minimum, list your city and state. Your proximity to the corporate offices or an airport can be important.
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What is your educational background? Listing this before your employment history makes it easier to find.
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What companies have you worked for? List all employers, including contracts, and when you worked there (months/years).
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What do you do? Job titles aren’t enough. Don’t be vague. Give details about your duties and skills. Share your areas of expertise.
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Do you have papers, publications, or presentations? Include this information at the end of your resume, not as a separate document.
Stick to a traditional easy-to-read resume style so that the answers to these six questions will be immediately apparent. An ambiguous or vague resume that omits or buries this information usually results in no interview.
A well-organized resume won’t land you the job, but it can get you in the door for an interview.