Most companies now utilize scanning systems technologies to search for Talent whom match the criteria they are looking for. You do not want to adversely affect the odds of your resume being delayed in processing, or not being noticed at all. This fact makes it advisable to use a very simple and straightforward layout of your resume, rendering it very easy to read and follow.

Use 12-point Block type, such as “Times New Roman.” Using BOLD, ITALICS, color, or underlining is acceptable, as well as formatting paragraphs with tabs, bullets, numbers, and margins. DO NOT use any formatting such as tables, columns, rows or text boxes. I also advise against using headers and footers.

It is also most advisable that you create your resume as a Word doc or plain text. These are the most common types of documents most companies are equipped to handle by default. PDF format is NOT recommended. Also, do NOT submit your resume document as “Read Only”. This can also create serious processing compatibility issues.

Your resume should be about two pages, three at the most. If you wish to include a cover page, create, and submit it as a separate document. Cover pages can also interfere with the proper processing of your resume, due to their layout.

On a separate page, list 3-4 references. At least one reference should be a current or former supervisor (a person of greater experience or a more senior level who can provide perceptions of you from a higher level). You should also list two or three peers who would be capable of doing your current work as well as an end user of your work with whom you interface. Include their name, company name, title/position, and phone number. Be sure you have spoken with them in advance to let them know to expect a call.

To get started with your own resume, begin with your personal data either flush left or centered, including ONLY the elements contained in the example below. Then, lay out the remainder of your resume following the example below as closely as possible.

We suggest performing a “copy & paste” between the points indicated to transfer the directions to a new document for use as a template.

Begin “COPY” here.
Name (First and Last)
Address line 1(Street # and name)
Address line 2 (City, State, and Zip code)
Mobile # 123-456-7890 / Home # 123-456-7890 (

Include NO OBJECTIVE STATEMENT or SUMMARY --- This is used as a screening tool and if your objective statement does not match exactly with what they are looking for they won't read any further.

Employment History in reverse chronological order.
(Include all positions held during the last 5 years and the dates held, even if more than one position is with the same company)

Place this information just as indicated -
Start / End Date Current Employer Name
(with most recent company)
Title(s) (Followed by dates held, only if, you held more than one position during your tenure with the company.)
Include a 15 – 25 word description of the duties and responsibilities of the position here. (Beginning with “Title”, repeat this format for each position held with the same company, laying the information out using the same format just used for this position. Do NOT start over again with “Start / End Date” & “Employer name” until you reach the next employer.)

• Include 3-4 bullet statements. Note: each bullet should as concisely as possible state -
• a) tasks that have been undertaken (Features : Created a new methodology),
• b) the result (Achievements : Which increased customer satisfaction), and
• c) what the results meant to the company (Benefits : Which increased profit margins by xx%, resulting in $xxK increase in revenue over prior year for same period).
• e.g. Bullet topics might include such things as, how time was saved, costs reduced, efficiency increased, processes were improved, revenue generated / increased, customer retention improved, profitability increased, etc. The bullets should provide the answer to the question, “What’s in it for us?” in a quantified fashion.

For example:
01/01/0000 – 02/02/0000 ACME Company
Big Wig 02/02/0000 - 02/02/0000
Wearing many hats, delegating many important things, and attending many important meetings.
• Improved market position through shrewd vendor negotiations, which increased margins by 15%, which increased earnings by $500,000 for the year.
• Next bullet which contains a quantified Feature/Achievement/Benefit statement
• Ditto

Almost a Big Wig 01/01/0000 – 02/02/0000
Wearing many, many hats, doing many, many delegated things, and preparing for many, many important meetings.
• Identified a way to improve operating efficiencies, which increased corporate output per month by 10% annually, saving the company $150,000 per year.
• Next bullet which contains a quantified Feature/Achievement/Benefit statement
• Ditto

Then:
All positions held in last 5 – 10 years (even if more than one position is with the same company).

Start / End Date Employer Name
(with this employer) Title(s) (Followed by dates held, only if, you held more than one position during your tenure with the company.)
15 words, or less, regarding duties and responsibilities.

• Use the bullet format discussed above only for those things that were highly significant, and in some way relevant to the current opportunity.

Then:
Positions held 10 or more years ago (even if more than one position is with the same company).

Start / End Date Employer Name
(With each company) Title(s) (Followed by the dates held, only if, you held more than one position during your tenure with the company.)

Additional Achievements - (Optional – You may include here any non-employer related projects that are germane to your career path.)

• Use the same bullet format discussed above to describe these items.

Education – in reverse chronological order.
Degree – Completion Date - Institution

Professional Certifications – (List them here, separated by commas. For example: MCSE, CCIE, CISSP, CPM, etc.)

Skills Areas – Using “Key words”, note here technologies with which you have a high level of familiarity through use or training. Include: Operating systems, languages, databases, methodologies, network types and protocols, tools, packages, etc. Mention these in the simplest terms possible (the most commonly used way, i.e. SAP, NT, PL/SQL, or DB2, etc. ). Place and clarify non-mainstream technologies at the end of this section.

Professional Memberships – List them here

Publications – List the most significant and relevant here, but do not create a huge bibliography of them. Be selective.

End “COPY” here.

Once you have completed creating your resume in this format, providing the quantified bullets, which each contain a feature /achievement / benefit statement, CONGRATULATIONS! You are on your way to selling yourself!

Good Opportunities await you!