Resume Writing Tips: Easy Do's and Don'ts

These resume writing tips are simple and easy to follow. 

And that’s terrific news for most of us!

You don’t have to be a Pulitzer prize-winning writer to put together a well-organized, professional-looking resume.

But you do need to use clear English and you do need to avoid a few pitfalls.

Take a peek at these.

(And please add your own Do’s and Don’ts at the bottom of the page so that other readers can benefit from your experience!)

Resume Writing Tips: Do This

Formatting your resume

• Do select the resume format appropriate to your skills and experience.
• Do print your resume on quality white or ivory paper.
• Do use a standard font, such as Times New Roman or Arial.
• Do be prepared to format your resume for electronic submission.

Writing your resume

• Do state a job target or objective. (Here are tips for writing a resume objective.)
• Do use active, descriptive verbs when describing your job history. (Verb tips here.)
• Do quantify your skills and experience with numbers, facts and statistics.
• Do write concisely – eliminate verbiage.
• Do proofread your resume.  Clean writing indicates professionalism.
• Do present a professional appearance in every element of your resume.
• Do be honest.

Writing your cover letter

• Do write a quality cover letter to accompany your resume.
• Do address your cover letter to a specific person (“Dear Dr. Smith.”)

Resume Writing: Don't Do This

Formatting your resume

• Don’t print your resume on colored or patterned paper.
• Don’t use unusual fonts or borders.

Writing your resume

• Don’t include personal information, such as date of birth, family/marriage status, religious/political preference, and hobbies -- unless those details are relevant to the position you’re seeking.
• Don’t list your previous job titles without explanation of your duties.
• Don’t list references by name.
• Don’t mention salary requirements.
• Don’t be careless with typos and errors – they indicate sloppiness.
• Don’t stretch the truth.

Writing your cover letter

• Don’t send a resume without a cover letter. (Cover letter writing tips.)
• Don’t address your cover letter to a generic title or position (“Dear Personnel Director.”)
• Don’t include a photograph.

Use a Worksheet to Gather Information

Organize your information with this free resume worksheet as you build a winning resume.

More Tips for Writing Resumes

Basics on writing resumes ...

Free resume worksheet to build your resume ...

Parts of a resume: a primer ...

Tips for writing resume objective ...

3 main resume writing formats ...

Quiz: which resume writing format should you use?

Writing a good cover letter: a step-by-step writing guide ...

Cover Letter Writing Tip: get the reader to take one step ...

More resume writing tips on our Pinterest board...

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