Now that you have your outline from Writing Your Resume, Part 1,
you are ready to organize the information and format it in a way that will catch a potential employer’s attention-in a good way. No, I don’t recommend using neon colored paper or stationary that rocks. Stick with a basic, neutral color and use resume paper from an office supply store if delivering a printed version. Crazy script font that is not easily readable is a no-go and will not present your professional side. So stick with a standard font (Times, Times New Roman, Arial, etc) that is readable and professional.

When organizing your resume, keep the following
in mind:

1. At the top of the resume should be the header with your name, address, phone number, email and website (if applicable). Also feel free to add the URL’s to any social media profile. Note: This exact header should be used on all correspondence going to the potential employer, including the cover letter and reference sheet.

2. Next down should be your objective, should you choose to include one.

3. After that you should provide a list of skills. This is where you use the “power verbs” that you hear so much about. In other words, don’t list “Office Filing” as a skill-list “Handled office filing”. Here are some other examples:

“Patient Services” could be “Accessed and Delivered Patient Needs”

“Supervised” could be “Hired, Trained and Evaluated Employees”

“Medical Charting” could be “Maintained Client Charts”

4. Then comes work history and I’ve seen two effective formats for this. One is listing the work history in chronological order, with your current job first. The other is to make two headings, one that says “Related Work History” where you list all the jobs that are similar (or have a similar skill set) to the one that you are applying for and the other heading that says “Additional Work History” where you list the rest of your employment. There are pros and cons to both. Chronological order may not bring out the jobs that you really want the potential employer to see and the other system may give the impression that you have gaps in your work history, even if you don’t.

5. Include at least the position you held, the employer name, city/state of employer, dates worked there and duties in each listings. For example:

Lead Nurse, Willowback Medical Care Center, Chicago, IL. June 2009-March 2011.

6. After work history should be education, publication credits and volunteer work in a similar format to the one you used for work history. For example:

EDUCATION

BS in Nursing, Nursing College, Seattle, WA. 1993

VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE

Boy Scout Leader, Boy Scouts of America, Chicago, IL May 1995-present

PUBLICATION CREDITS

“The History of Medical Staffing”, Medical Times, May 2005.

I see very few resumes with references listed on them. Instead make another sheet (with the same heading that is on your resume) and list them there. If the employer doesn’t ask for them initially, it makes a great impression to bring them with you when an interview is scheduled.

What do you think makes a great resume? Let us know in the comments section.

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You will find resume writing tips galore on the Internet and in books. Some are great ideas. Others, not so great. When searching for resume samples you will find several dozen samples that are offered as the “best” style to use. But the information can be confusing and overwhelming.

What’s the best way to write a resume that is compete, honest and stands out from the crowd? I recommend that you first write an outline. It will be an invaluable tool as you organize, format and write your resume. Include the following in your notes:

1. Your goals- Write them all down and then compact it to an objective that clearly states a goal that your potential employer will see on your resume. Do not include desired salary and be careful about self-serving statements. (Consider what you can provide for the employer versus what you want from them).

2. Your Job History- Dig up your job history, including name/address of employer, dates worked, salary and specific duties. Also note any special accomplishments while in that job position.

3. Your Skills- Make a list of the skills that you have and don’t forget the basic ones. Remember that not everyone can type at the same WPM that you might be able to and believe it or not, not everyone knows how to use the Internet. Add any special skills that might be applicable only to the positions that you are applying for.

4. Your Education- List your education, including the name/location of the school, dates attended and concentration of study, including your high school. Include any classes, seminars and continuing education. Include degrees and certifications obtained.

5. Your Awards- If you have obtained awards in your professional or personal life, make a list of them including the year received and what they were for. Also include any publishing credits you might have.

6. Your Volunteer Activities- If you volunteer your time outside of your home to help others, include this on your outline. This shows that you are a caring individual with goals other than earning a living.

7. Your References- Prepare a list of people who might be willing to be a reference. Call them or send them an email to make sure that they are okay with it. Concentrate on those you know from a professional arena and ones you’ve known longer than a year or two, if possible.

In the next post, we will discuss how to organize and format your resume to be the best that it can be in this competitive job market.