Dos and Don'ts for writing resumes

AI generated text to image

DO:

Be consistent in format and content

Make it easy to read and follow, balancing white space

Use consistent spacing, underlining, italics, bold, and capitalization for emphasis

Have a concise summary

List headings (such as Experience) in order of importance

Within headings, list information in reverse chronological order (most recent first)

Avoid information gaps such as a job breaks

Be sure that your formatting translated properly if converted to a .pdf

List your language skills

Attach copies of educational certificates

Attach copies of testimonials/references

Add a section on awards & extracurricular activities

Always add a cover letter tailored to the job requirements

Use the same layout for your Cover letter and CV

DON'TS

Spelling and grammar errors

Missing email and phone information

Not well organized, concise, or easy to skim

Too long

Use of abbreviations

Include irrelevant detail

Online tools that can help you perfect your CV

• Canva – an online graphic design platform full of attractive templates for CVs

• Resume.io – an online service with CV, resume, and cover letter templates

• TopCV – an online CV-checking service