The most common mistake in preparing a resume is writing your resume to long. A resume should provide potential employers with a brief description of who you are, what you have done, and why you are the right person for the job. Resume are generally only a page long, any longer and the employer will not want to read it. Employers can potentially go through hundreds of resumes for a single job opening. Therefore, simplicity is important to ensure that your resume will not end up being rejected.
The first step in your resume is to list your objectives. Your objectives should include what you plan to achieve at the company which you are applying for. It is important that you be specific when stating your objectives. For example, if you where applying to be a computer programmer, you wouldn't want to put work on computers, because working on computers could mean a hundred different things.
Next is education and skills. The education section should be brief; including college, degree type, and your graduation date. Do not include high school information. The skills section should list computer skills, language skills, and any other skills that you fell make you a better candidate for the opening.
Next you should list your work experience. Your work experience should include any internships and any other jobs that you have had. Even if you worked at McDonald's, mowed lawns, or even bagged groceries, all work experience counts. Be sure to list all of your responsibilities at your for workplaces. Many work skills are transferable such as: using a cash register, answering phones, and computer work. If responding to an advertisement, the employer has already helped you with the hardest part of the resume, the job description. If the employer has listed the qualities that they are looking for such as: communication skills, ability to work in a fast paced environment, and computer skills, be sure that you put any of these qualities in your resume.
