Resume Writing?
Can you give me some useful tips for writing a resume. I am applying for secretarial/clerical positions. There are plenty of resume templates online. However, some of the templates are simply black and white, while others are vivid and colorful. Which one should I choose. The colorful ones are more appealing, but I want the person who is reading my resume to think that I am serious about the job.
Please comment, especially if you are a boss, or have been through a similar dilemma.
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Never use a color resume for a secretarial or clerical position. You will not be taken seriously. Those are only for creative fields. Never use a photo either, unless you are applying in South America.
If I am reading a resume, I prefer simple and to the point. Color is a distraction to me, so I prefer plain black and white. Also, there is a specific paper for resumes, not the real lightweight regular paper, I prefer to have a resume on that type of paper.
Also, do you not have Microsoft works? They have good resume outlines on there. Another tool is when you do your resume, use power words. If you can’t think of them, you can type a word, then highlight it and go to your thesaurus and it will give you word lists.
Good luck….
You want to use at least 25lb white, beige, off-white paper. It should be no more than one page long and not contain personal information, such as social security number, pictures (unless in countries that it is common, but in the US-no), or hobbies/likes.
Your resume should be short and very much to the point. You don’t want any crazy lines, graphics, or do-dads. This is distracting and would not reflect favorably on your skills.
There are several resume templates and tips that I (and other counselors) wrote for students on the following website (though you could go to virtually any college or university website and see similar documents).
http://www.wvu.edu/~careersc/JobSearch/ResumeWriting.html
if you want to be professional it is always bright white good quality paper and times roman font 10/12 pitch.
if you can do one page do it, or two at the most. (then add the cover letter)
The beginning of your resume after your name and contact info should be a brief and concise single paragraph summary outlining your experience from most first to last (my preference). NOT AN CAREER OBJECTIVE!
make sure to leave white space and use a chronological format. Here, most recent first for experience.
content is most important, use active words like managed, maintained, supervised, improved, etc.
show how you added value, saved money, improved processes for your employers in the past.
then do academic education, and then professional education and affiliations.
the best book I’ve ever had was called;
. . . Job Search: The Total System.
it has many resume examples for many different careers and cover letters and other documents and plans for finding and landing the right job for you.
you may want more than one resume depending on who you want to work for, highlighting different aspects of your experience, so you can easily print them as needed, same for cover letters.
be sure to use a spelling checker and proofread it yourself and have someone else do it too OUTLOUD. You dont want ANY mistakes.
I have landed many jobs this way. you have no idea how pathetic most resumes are, and this is your best foot forward so to speak, your foot in the door, your first impression, so make it a good one.
Then be prepared to back it up!!!!
I have interviewed many people and was in total shock at how LITTLE prepared they were for an interview, knowing very little about the company they wanted to work for.
So learn about the company history, names, financials, products, competitors, market, etc. and you’ll be way ahead of the pack. In addition prepare for common interview questions, have them memorized. In addition to knowing your resume forwards and backwards. So when they ask who you are, you start at the end and work your way to the beginning of your resume. Here you can say things that may not have fit in two pages.