Employers assume that someone who can't sum up her qualifications in two pages or less doesn't have the organizational skills or powers of communication it takes to succeed in today's fast-paced business climate, and you won’t be offered an interview. Not only will most employers not bother to read anything longer, but a resume exceeding two pages will probably be a mark against you. Your resume should be a maximum of two pages-two easily readable pages. There is, however, one style rule to consider at this point: length. In other words, make prominent your most important qualifications and experience.īecause we're only concerned with completing a rough draft of your resume, we won't get into the specifics of type styles, page layouts, etc. You should arrange elements in whatever order makes the strongest marketing statement. Pay more attention to content than style for now.Īlthough we'll address the various elements of each type of resume in an order in which they might logically fall, remember that you are by no means locked into that order. Don't worry about getting your words in perfect shape yet. Give priority to the most meaningful of your qualifications, even if it means excluding others. You must keep it clear, concise and focused on the information that will sell you best. Make every word count! Keep in mind that prospective employers will spend less than 30 seconds reviewing your resume.Remember that you are selling yourself as the answer to a specific need-and your resume should address that need as closely as possible. If you are pursuing two or more different career goals, you need to write a separate resume for each. Emphasize those qualifications most relevant to the kind of position you want.

Before we begin, here are three important reminders:

Part one walks you through the steps of writing a chronological resume part two shows you the specifics of writing a functional resume. It’s time to draft a copy of your resume. Grab your career file and turn on your computer.

Short story rough draft example