10 Top Tips for Writing a Resume or Cv

Have you ever submitted a resume or CV to an employer and not received a call for an interview? It’s frustrating and leaves you wondering what you did wrong.

Remember that your resume/CV and cover letter are the first things that an employer will see - they are the first impression your potential employer has of you, so make them good.

Here are 10 top tips on writing a resume or CV. Follow these simple guidelines and you will improve your chances of getting a call inviting you to an interview.

Tips For Writing A Resume Or CV

Upon first glance is the resume or CV easy to read?

• Always use BLACK ink to print a resume.






• Use a standard font such as Arial or Times New Roman.






• The font size should be no smaller than 10, but no larger than 12

Use a good quality resume paper for your resume.

• Do not use your typical white paper.




• A good color choice in paper would be a light off-white or cream paper

Run spell-check and correct any grammatical, punctuation, or spelling errors!

• Have someone else read your resume if you do not have spell-check.

State previous job history in chronological order starting with most recent job first.

• State Company name.




• State your title.




• State length of employment.




• State responsibilities or duties.




• If there are any large gaps in between jobs, explain them.




• Concentrate on skills and achievement relevant to the position you are applying for.

Does your resume objective sell you? A good resume objective should state:

• The job you’re applying for.




• Why you’re the best candidate.




• What you can bring to the company.

Keep your resume as short as possible.

• If possible keep it to one page but not more than two pages.




• You can make a statement that further information is available upon request or refer to an appendix for less relevant information.

Be honest.

• Do not profess skills you do not have.




• Do not exaggerate lengths of employment to cover up gaps.

Make sure it’s relevant.

• Tailor your resume or CV to each job you’re applying for. Employers like to see you have singled their job out particularly.

Make sure to follow instructions.

• If an employer requests a resume via regular mail, email, faxed, etc. submit your resume as requested.

In your cover letter make sure you make mention of the specific job you are submitting a resume for.

• Keep your cover letter short and to the point.




• State the position for which you are applying for and where you saw it.




• Make a statement such as “I have” such and such experience.




• Make a statement such as “I can” do such and such for your company.




• Make a statement such as “I am” looking for a position that …




• Make a closing statement thanking the employer for their time and saying you look forward to hearing from them.

If you follow these simple guidelines when writing a resume or CV, you will present yourself in a favorable way. Employers are looking for employees that can stand out above the rest of the applicants that are vying for the same position. By catching their eye with a professional, relevant and interesting resume, and presenting the facts in a way that the employer does not have to search for them, you are showing the employer that you take pride in your work. This is what every employer wants.