We’ve all been there – a blank screen with a blinking cursor taunting us with the words we can’t think of and the inevitable question playing in our heads, “How can I possibly summarize who I am and what I have done on one page?” That question is the one thing that is holding you back from your dream job. Well, take a deep breath and clear your head! Here are 10 of our best resume tips:

1. Keep it to a page – You want your message to be clear and concise. Your resume should not have every work experience you’ve ever had listed on it. Show the most important information to keep the recruiter interested. 
2. Keeping it general – Include your relevant work or volunteer history that relates to the position. This could lead you to have 4 or 5 different resumes, but it will help the recruiter identify your skills and experience for the position. Remember, a recruiter only spends 10 seconds per resume – you want to be the one that stands out!
3. Including a photo – As some may find this unique, our recruiters find it distracting. No matter what type of photo it is, professional or not, it shouldn’t be in your resume. You want the recruiters to pay attention to the experiences that make you qualified for the position, so the less distractions, the better.
4. Alignment and grammar – Yes, recruiters look to see if your titles and dates line up properly, but most importantly that your spelling and grammar are correct. Don’t be afraid to edit your resume and always remember to double check it.
5. Informal writing – There is absolutely no reason to abrev anything on your resume (see what we did there?) First and foremost, it’s unprofessional, and the translation or meaning of the word could be lost, causing the recruiter to become confused and lose interest quickly. 
6. Attachments – The story is way too common: you have an email open to send a cool new workout to your friend, and another email with your resume to send to a recruiter, and you just so happen to mix up the attachments. Always make sure your email is professional and contains the correct attachments before pressing send.
7. An outside audience – “Hey mom do you mind taking a look at this for me?” No matter who it is, your mom, a friend, or your mentor, find someone who will take the time to go through your resume with a fine tooth comb.
8. Honesty is the best policy – We all want to look like a superstar, but there’s no reason to stretch the truth to get a job. Take pride in what you have already accomplished and focus on those areas and how they make you qualified for the position.
9. Take it down a notch – Once again, you want to make your message clear and keep it at an easy reading level. You never know who might receive your resume first, a recruiter, assistant or executive director – you want it to be readable, relevant and understandable for all of them. Contrary to popular belief, industry jargon is the last thing recruiters want to see.
10. Forgetting to add a resume objective – This is an opportunity for you to be specific on what you are looking for, and it won’t be overlooked by the recruiters. Even if the position you apply for doesn’t work out, they have your resume on file and can use this tip to pair you with another job opportunity.

Remember, you will have time during the interview to show who you are and explain the work you have done, but for now keep it short and interesting.  We know it’s difficult to put yourself on paper, but these tips and tricks will help tailor it to be ready for the next time you shake someone’s hand and pass your resume across the table to them.

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