Resume Helpful Hints

View our online resume writing workshop at http://www.stpaulcareers.umn.edu/workshops.html.

Visual Appeal

• Have a balance of white space and text on the page

• Choose a font size between 10 and 12 point with easy to read font style

• Use lines, bold, italics, or all capital letters to make key facts stand out

• Make your section headings stand out so they are easy to find on your resume or CV

• Print your resume on quality paper in conservative colors

• Avoid using a template when writing your resume or CV

Other Tips

• Resumes for those with a Bachelor’s Degree and no full time experience are typically kept to 1 page

• Edit and proof read very carefully – some employers will eliminate a candidate from consideration if there are errors

• Remove extraneous information that is less relevant to the position

• Do not use complete sentences or first person words such as “I”, “Me”, “Myself”

• Spell out abbreviations within your application documents

• Order the sections so the most relevant information is toward the top

• Consider phasing out High School information by your Junior/Senior years of college

Some employers scan resumes into a computer system.  Creating such a scannable resume requires a different set of rules than described here.  For assistance writing a scannable resume visit the St. Paul Campus Career Center in 198 McNeal Hall.