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Hair: Make sure your hair is neat and clean.

Nails: Be sure your nails are clean and neatly trimmed. If you polish your nails, re-polish them if they are chipped.

Cosmetics: Make-up should be applied to a minimum.

Perfume: Perfumes or colognes should be kept very light or not at all. A strong scent could be very offensive to others.

Hosiery: When wearing hose, the color should be as discrete as possible. The hose, like any clothing should be in good shape.

Shoes: Be sure your shoes are clean and polished. Remember that white socks don’t go with dress shoes of any color.

Jewelry: Don’t overdo it. Your jewelry should not overpower you or be distracting.

Clothing: Simple is safe. Following every fad that comes along does not necessarily make for a sharp dresser. Well coordinated clothing goes a long way.

Dress for success and learn what looks good on YOU!

Whether you have several years of work experience or just graduated from high school or college, a resume is always a great way to summarize your work experience for a prospective employer.  Here are some tips and good information to help you write that perfect resume.

1. About the Resume

Definition:
A resume is a summary of those life experiences that are relevant to your work goals.

Basics:
-full name, address, telephone number
-Maximum of 2 pages; 1 preferred
-8 ½ x 11 inch paper, white, off-white, light grey, or beige
-Typed in a simple 10 or 12 point font

Suggestions:
-No personal data (e.g. birthdate)
-Use active verbs to describe your work experience
-You may need to create more than one resume if applying for different kinds of jobs
-Don’t include references on the resume

2. Types of Resumes

Chronological:
Education and work experience should both be listed in reverse chronological order beginning with the most recent experience. Dates of employment are given.

Functional:
-Divides experience into areas of greatest competence, that is, the skills acquired as a result of one’s experiences
-Duties, responsibilities, and skills used in both paid and unpaid employment should be given equal weight
-Skills should be arranged to emphasize the area most relevant to the job you are seeking

Targeted:
-Describes all pertinent experience and education related to the specific position being sought
-Is specific to a particular job and position
-Dates may or may not be included

Mixed:
Utilizes aspects of the functional and chronological resume formats to the greatest advantage of the job seeker

3. Writing Guidelines

1. Keep your resume to 1 page; 2 pages max.
2. Use headings to organize your information and for emphasis.
3. List accomplishments with bullets to increase readability.
4. Quantify information where possible (e.g. dollars budgeted, number of people you supervised).
5. Focus on work and volunteer experience not personal interests.
6. Don’t include personal information like age, marital status, height, etc.
7. Include full name, address, home phone numbers.
8. Use active verbs to describe your work experience.
9. You may need to create more than one resume if applying for different kinds of jobs.
10. Don’t include references on the resume.
11. Check for grammar, punctuation, and spelling.
12. Use quality paper for hard copies.

4. Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Long paragraphs. Keep information in short phrases.
2. False claims. Be sure your information is factual and does not misrepresent you or your experience.
3. Getting side-tracked. Keep a focus on your experience that is relevant for a job. Don’t try to put too much into a resume.

5. Reminders

1. Your resume is your personal advertisement. Prepare it with care.
2. Sell yourself. Convey your worth to your employer.
3. Don’t sell yourself short. You are selling not only your past experience but your future potential.

Here are additional resources:

• Knock ‘em Dead Resumes: Features the Latest Information on: Online Postings, Email Techniques, and Follow-up Strategies (Resumes That Knock ‘em Dead) by Martin Yate
• Knock ‘em Dead Cover Letters: Features the Latest Information on: Online Postings, Email Techniques, and Follow-up Strategies (Cover Letters That Knock ‘em Dead) by Martin Yate
• Resume Magic: Trade Secrets of a Professional Resume Writer (Resume Magic Trade Secrets of a Professional Resume Writer) by Susan Britton Whitcomb
• Best Resumes for College Students And New Grads: Jump-Start Your Career! by Louise M. Kursmark

1. Come dressed and groomed for the interview
2. Arrive 10-15 minutes early
3. Bring 2-3 copies of your resume
4. Ask questions about the job during the interview
5. Don’t ask about the pay until the very end
6. Send a thank you letter, card, or email to the interviewer indicating your continued interest in the position
7. Follow-up if you don’t hear from the company by the time they said they would make a decision

1. Poor personal appearance
2. Overbearing, know-it all attitude
3. Inability to express self clearly; poor voice, diction, grammar
4. Lack of planning for career; no purpose or goals
5. Lack of poise or confidence
6. Lack of interest and enthusiasm
7. Failure to participate in extra-curricular activities
8. Over-emphasis on money; interested only in best dollar offer
9. Poor scholastic record—just got by
10. Unwilling to start at the bottom—expects too much too soon
11. Makes excuses, evasiveness, hedges on unfavorable factors in record
12. Lack of maturity
13. Lack of courtesy
14. Condemnation of past employers
15. Lack of social understandings
16. Marked dislike for school work
17. Lack of energy
18. Fails to look interviewer in the eye
19. Limp, “dead fish” handshake
20. Indecision
21. Loafs during vacations
22. Unhappy married life
23. Friction with parents
24. Sloppy application
25. Merely shopping around for work
26. Only wants job for a  short time
27. Little sense of humor
28. Lack of knowledge in job area
29. Parents make decisions for him/her
30. No interest in company or industry
31. Emphasis on who s/he knows
32. Unwillingness to go where sent
33. Cynical; sarcastic
34. Low moral standards
35. Lazy
36. Intolerant with strong prejudices
37. Narrow interests
38. Poor handling of personal finances
39. No interest in community activities
40. Inability to take criticism
41. Lack of appreciation for the value of experience
42. Late to interview without good reason
43. Never heard of company
44. Asks no questions about the job during interview
45. Indecisive responses to questions

If you are not offered a position, you may always ask the person who interviewed you for a reason.  You might not get a reply, but any constructive feedback can help you fine tune your interviewing skills to land a job.