30+ Undeniable Dos and Don’ts of Resume Writing Explained

Finding difficulty in writing a resume? Want to impress the employer with your resume? Don’t worry! We are here with some dos and don’ts of resume writing that you should keep in mind.

A resume typically provides the first impression of you to the employer. Employers get a lot of resumes when they introduce a job post. So you need to create a resume that stands you out from the rest. If your resume doesn’t draw the employer’s attention, there are very few chances of you getting to the interview.

If you are writing it from scratch or updating an old one, follow these do’s and don’ts of resume writing to make yours refurbish.

1. Description:

Dos:

• Do use a resume template or resume outline to help you plan your resume sections.
• Do use relevant resume keywords for the job you are applying for and write it in a way as if no other job exists.
• Write an accurate description of yourself and write skills that make you uniquely qualified for the job.
• Use active voice and powerful proverbs.

Don’ts:

• Don’t misrepresent yourself by writing irrelevant skills.
• Don’t go with a long paragraph while describing yourself.
• Don’t make your resume a nightmare by using weird fonts and unpleasant colors.

2. Education

Dos

• Do include education relevant to the job, i.e. if the position is entry-level, add your bachelor’s degree or associate degree.
• Do list the positions you held in your school or college. For example, head boy or president of literature club or sort of that.
• Do have your education section above the experience section or just below that.

Don’ts:

• Don’t list your grades(GPA) if it is too low.
• Don’t mention only one GPA if you are writing two things and don’t round your GPA up.
• Don’t write each level of education and the number of schools you have changes.

3. Experience

Dos

• Do write the experience, skills, and accomplishments which directly or closely relate to the job you are applying for.
• Do write your previous work experience which had the same responsibilities.
• Do list quantifiable achievements like “increased market rate of the company by 20%”.Do’s

Don’ts:

• Don’t add every single work experience you had, and which is not relevant for the job you are applying for.
• Don’t mention any confidential job and don’t use sneaky workarounds for that.
• Don’t add your promotions or multiple job positions you had in the same organization.

4. Skills

Dos

• Do try to figure out the skills that are required for the job and mention them.
• Do use powerful proverbs to differentiate yourself.
• Do include proper soft skills.
• Do mention personal accomplishments if any, to enhance your soft skills and encouraging your technical skills.

Don’ts:

• Don’t include obvious skills like you can use Microsoft word or the internet.
• Don’t add every single thing that you know how to do.
• Don’t brag about your skills by saying “best out of” or “unique”.

5. Extras section

Dos

• Do add the certificate section if you have any certificates relevant to the job or that might enhance skills required for the job.
• Do consider writing hobbies and interests that might help your resume and to help get the job more easily.
• Do list a “volunteer section” to add volunteer work experience.

Don’ts:

• Don’t list hobbies and interests that are completely irrelevant.
• Don’t add reasons for leaving every job.
• Don’t try to overload the resume with unnecessary details.

6. Personal details

Dos

• Do add a clean and simple mailing address with probably your name and be active to that mail id.
• Do add just a single phone number.
• List just the basic information about you.
• Do list the social media accounts, like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and most importantly LinkedIn.
• Optimize your LinkedIn profile as they are a part of a modern job hunt.

Don’ts:

• Don’t add details that could turn into biased judgment.
• Don’t include links that are directed to personal data.
• Don’t think that adding social media handles are unprofessional.

Key points

• Try to make the resume about the job and not about you.
• Mention only relevant data and signifies that you are the best possible candidate for the job.
• Don’t try to lye and don’t exaggerate anything.
• Try to make it precise. Don’t overdo it.
• Proofread your work.
• Customize your resume for each job.

Also read: 10 Most Common Reasons Why Employees Get Fired

Keep these dos and don’ts of resume writing in mind while making one and your resume will definitely stand out.

Frequently Asked Questions and Answers:

Here are some of the most frequently asked questions and their expert suggested answers related to this topic of dos and don’ts of resume writing:

1. What should not be included in the resume?

Following things should be taken care of while writing a resume:

• Unprofessional email
• Too many personal details
• Unnecessary data
• Irrelevant skills and job experience
• Buzzwords

2. Are 2 page resumes okay?

Yes, you can. But it is preferable to add only one page if the job is entry-level or for experience less than 5 years.

3. What employers look for in resumes?

According to Glass Door following are the most important thing that employers look for:

• Keyword research
• Relevant skills
• Enough job experience

4. Is resume and CV the same thing?

No, they are not. CV holds the full data of education details, so the length can vary. A resume has only the skills and qualifications for the respective position, so length tends to be shorter(1-2 pages).

5. Why it is important to write a good resume?

Well, resume is the first impression of yours on the employers. So it is important for the one to write proper skills, relevant experience, and related things in proper manner. You should always keep in mind the dos and don’ts of resume writing to sparkle yours.