Resume Writing: Do’s and Don’ts

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Resume writing can be quite simple if you have established the basics well, but if you haven’t caught up on the newest ways to improve your resume then SpineSearch is here to help! As a healthcare professional, writing a resume means including all of your clinical experience as well as license and certification. To improve your resume writing skills, here are some Do’s and Don’ts to make your resume stand out among the other applicants:

Do’s

1) Make your resume simple

This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t put a lot of effort into your resume it means you should write short, concise sentences that have a clear purpose and direction for your resume. You want the employer to get the most positive idea of your work history.

2) Proofread your resume more than once

You can proofread your resume and have a colleague proofread it for you too. Resumes get overlooked when an employer finds spelling errors in them. Edit your resume after every proofread.

3) Use buzzwords

A lot of practices are now using technology to scan in resumes and check for certain buzzwords and resumes that don’t have them will not be submitted for the job. Describe work history/accomplishments using the proper phrasing to ensure your resume won’t be overlooked. An example of this would be using words like: caseload, computer tech/skills, research/publications, responsible for, participated in etc.

Don’ts

1)      Don’t use the word “I”

Avoid using “I” in your resume. Instead describe your actions by using some of the buzzwords listed above.

2)      Don’t make your resume over two pages

Resume length has been debated but various professionals, but it is safe to say that a resume over two pages will become too much for a potential employer to read and they may wind up tossing you out as a candidate.

3)      Don’t include personal information

An employer does not need to know your marital status, height, weight etc. because that is not pertinent to you getting the job. Use the space you have on your resume wisely.

4)      Don’t write: “references available upon request”

This will only take up space and since you are giving an employer your resume it’s implied that you would give references if he/she asked for them.

5)      Don’t change tenses

For your current job you should use the present tense when describing your job duties, and for previous jobs you should use the past tense, but you shouldn’t go back and forth between present and past tense for every action you are describing.

6)      Don’t change fonts

You should pick a font that is easy to read and stick with it throughout the whole resume. Changing fonts will become distracting to the employer’s eye.

These steps will help you write a resume that will impress any employer.