our resume is your most important calling card in your job search. It should include the following information and be no more than two pages:

Contact information.

 Include phone (home, work, cell), mail and email contact information. In addition, make sure your voicemail message is professional. A message that is too casual can create a negative impression.

Career objective.

 You may choose to list or not list your career objective. If your objective doesn’t match the recruiter’s needs, you may miss out on a golden opportunity. However, a clearly stated career objective can help your recruiter find your ideal career match.

Summary statement. Your summary should be brief.

• Include your title and years of experience.
• List pertinent skills.
• Discuss your character traits or work style.

Example: 

“Financial Accountant with over 10 years’ experience with two Fortune 500 companies. Technical skills include P&L, budgeting, forecasting and variance reporting. Bilingual in Spanish and English. Self-starter who approaches every project in a detailed, analytical manner.”

Professional experience.

Describe in one sentence what each company manufactures or does! List each position held in reverse chronological order, dating back at least ten years. If you held multiple positions within the same company, list them all to show advancement and growth. The body of each position description should describe your responsibilities and accomplishments. List machines and materials you’ve worked with.

Other components. 

Include education, professional training, affiliations/appointments, licenses, technical skills and languages.

Personal information. 

Do not include personal information such as marital status, hobbies, age.

12 Accomplishments Employers Want To See

•     Increased revenues
•     Saved money
•     Increased efficiencies
•     Cut overhead
•     Increased sales
•     Improved workplace safety
•     Purchasing accomplishments
•     New products/new lines
•     Improved record keeping process
•     Increased productivity
•     Successful advertising campaign
•     Effective budgeting