Im interested in this too.

I spent a few days doing mine last year and it's very, very sweet.

I'd say exaggerate everything you did in previous jobs, talk yourself up but not too much and keep it short and sweet preferably one side of A4.

Include relevant project work, including class work, particularly if there's a definite real world connection.  Separate 2-3 major projects where you were successful and describe how they relate to the job you're applying for - albeit subtly.  Keep it short and make sure there's a unifying theme to your entries and plenty of white space, or else you'll appear scattered.

Interesting topic... I'm actually in the process of revising my resume, so I'll add my two cents.

I had an interview with an HR guy from a CPA firm based out of Western Mass. and CT, and he gave me some pointers on how I can make my resume look and sound better.

The first thing he told me was to practice the "So What" test. Go through every peice of information on the resume, and ask yourself from the standpoint of the person reading document, "so what?" If you can't answer that, then it probably shouldn't be on the resume.

Next he told me to make the resume look attractive. By that he meant that while it should be short and to the point, it should also look like you spent a good amount of time on it. Don't leave blank spaces, and elaborate more on the important things that an interviewer would be interested in.

Finally, put the most important things at the top. I know this sounds like an obvious one, but when he was looking at mine he pointed out that I didn't do this. I too followed a format instead of making my own format, which lead me to do this. My problem is that "work experience" was more towards the bottom than it was towards the top.

Hope this helps a little, and good luck.

Quote from: rondo987 on April 14, 2009, 11:02:39 AM

The first thing he told me was to practice the "So What" test. Go through every peice of information on the resume, and ask yourself from the standpoint of the person reading document, "so what?" If you can't answer that, then it probably shouldn't be on the resume.

While I agree that this is important, it also is very dangerous.    This goes back to the point that different managers look for different things. 

Just to give an example, I hire generally entry level research assistants at a clinical research lab.  Because a big part of the position involves dealing directly with human subjects, I will always take the resume of the person with a lot of experience waiting tables, and working in customer service over the one who has a bunch of experience working at a biotech, aliquoting agents into test-tubes.  Yet, there have been a bunch of times where applicants have decided to leave the two years they spent waiting tables off their resume, because it didn't deal with science.

So yeah, you probably don't need to put your summer job when you were 16 on your resume, but be very careful overanalyzing whether real jobs that you have are "relevant".

I understand that, but again that is something that should be thought of when you are asking yourself if it is relevant or not. An intelligent person should be able to make the connection that waiting tables and customer service work could go a long way in a job that involves dealing with human subjects. And ofcourse, a cover letter always helps, like you said.

What job are you applying for?  This should really be the factor that determines what your resume should look like. 

Quote from: blake on April 14, 2009, 12:29:58 PM

What job are you applying for?  This should really be the factor that determines what your resume should look like. 

I'm applying for a position in the criminal justice field (Management security, Homeland defense, MBTA officer ect.)

Just put down you are big and can pack a punch.

And if the criminals are Yankee or Lakers fans you can kick their asses that much more harder.