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Use an easy to read font style - typically 10-point or 12-point Courier New or Times New Roman.
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Avoid using too many graphics or designs (these can be distracting).
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Make sure your name is the largest thing on the page.
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You will want to have your name and contact information on all pages you will use in your job hunt (resume, cover letter, reference list, etc.)
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Don’t use first person in your resume (instead, just list what you accomplished—e.g. “Nurse Anesthetist, ‘99-‘05; assisted with… developed… etc.—you don’t need to put “I assisted with”, etc. They know you did it!)
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Your cover letter should always be written to a specific Hiring Manager for their specific job. By doing this you can highlight your most relevant skills for that job (what they are looking for). If you do this correctly, you will sell your resume before they ever see it and make them want to interview you.
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Make sure you are consistent throughout your resume. If you underline the title of one job, you should make sure all titles are underlined. Check all titles, dates, etc.
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Check your tabs and spacing; is it all lined up?
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Check your vocabulary. Check and recheck your spelling. Also be careful with verb tense, don’t put “developed systems, and oversee a team of 3 assistants.” It should be “developed sytems, oversaw…” or “develop systems, oversee….” Etc.
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It is very effective to use bullet points for each job duty you are describing. If someone is scanning your resume it helps to make your skills stand out more clearly.
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Always include all of the following: Your title, the facility name, the dates of your employment in month and year (days are not necessary and can make it confusing).
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Always use the most space on the jobs that are most relevant to the job you’re applying for.
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You don’t need to include your supervisor’s name or salary information on your resume.
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Don’t include work experience that isn’t relevant. If you want a Nurse Practitioner position, don’t include your job at the retail store selling computer screens from college.
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Don’t put anything personal on your resume (hobbies, marital status, children, etc.). This is inappropriate.
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A one-page resume is always best, but don’t crowd your resume, You can shorten margins to make more space. If you need to use two pages, make sure you balance the information to make it look appealing. Be careful of the page break; format it in a way that won’t break up information. Make sure your name and phone number are on the second page.
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Keep your resume updated. If you put employment dates as ’02-present, but you quit a month ago, this will be perceived as a misrepresentation.
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Never handwrite or cross out anything on your resume.
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Never lie on your resume.
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Always have someone who is excellent with grammar and spelling proofread your resume. Don’t rely on your computer’s spell or grammar check—it won’t catch everything.
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Always have spare copies available. It is never appropriate to ask a potential employer to “make a copy” because you don’t have one.
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Be able to back up all statements on your resume with specific examples.
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Know everything on your resume ‘like the back of your hand’—you will want to be able to remember it if you don’t have it on hand and you have a phone interview or even a live interview.