Resume Formatting Checklist

Here are some pointers to keep in mind as you format your resume:

1. Do not include your birth date, health status, or Social Security number.  Resumes usually should not include your birth date or photograph because Equal Employment Opportunity laws state that employers will not discriminate by age (too young or too old).  Now that Web resumes are becoming popular, however, photographs are sometimes included to add personality to a resume.  Statements regarding health are not included, unless you’re applying for a physical job.  Your Social Security number should not be on your resume.  Only report it on your college or job application if requested.  Name, address, phone, and e-mail should be included.
   
2. State your objective carefully.  An objective is optional but helpful to include.  Your objective should state the type of position you desire and may list the skills you want to use.  Be careful not to limit yourself with an objective.  For example, if you state that your objective is “entry-level clerical work,” you may shut yourself out of more interesting jobs.
   
3. Average resume length is one page.  The average length of a student resume is one page.  If your resume is a few lines longer than one page, adjust your type size and margins to get it on a single sheet.  If, however, you have a long list of employers, internships, awards, and activities, then write a two-page or even three-page resume.  Remember that you are selling yourself.  If you have exceptional accomplishments as a high school student, then you deserve to make sure the reader is aware of them.
   
4. Use preferred type sizes.  Use 10-11 point type for text; 12-point for headings; and 14-point for your name.
   
5. Make it error free.  Refer to the dictionary and your grammar books as needed.  Run the spell checker, but be aware that the spell checker won’t catch all errors.  Spell checkers and grammar checkers miss mistakes in dates, proper names, and titles.  These tools cannot spot inconsistencies in format either.  Have a friend, teacher, or parent read your resume to make sure the grammar, punctuation, and all details are correct and consistent. 
   
6. Use good paper if you can.  This is not a must.  Use good white or off-white cotton bond paper.  The quality of paper to look for would be 20 or 24-pound; 25% cotton; or recycled if you like.  There are many selections of paper color and style.  Resist the wild colors.  You want to impress the reader with content, not paper color.  You can buy nice paper at office supply stores and even envelopes to go with it.
7. Make crisp copies.  Laser printing is best; just print resumes from a laser printer as needed.  This also allows you to modify your resume as needed for a particular opening.  High-quality photocopying of an original is fine also, although you won’t be able to target each resume.  Copying a copy is not acceptable.
8. Avoid writing anything negative.  Simply leave out the fact that your have a 1.9 GPA on a 4.0 scale.  You don’t have to tell everything.
9. Update your resume regularly.  You should plan on updating your resume at least once a year.  Add new courses, workshops, community service positions, honors, activities, and jobs.
10. Allow for white space on your resume.  The usual resume margins are 1 to 1.25 inches all around the resume.  Between resume sections, allow 1 to 1.5 returns.  Good use of white space makes a resume easy to read.
11. It’s okay to write without a noun or personal pronoun in a resume.  In fact, it’s better than starting every sentence with “I did this ….I did that…” The incorrect way to write a description of what you’ve done is, “I received inbound telephone calls and answered customers’ questions.”  The following sounds much better.  The emphasis is on your performance and skills:  “Received inbound telephone calls and answered customers’ questions.” 
12. Be consistent with your use of verbs.  Present job - use present tense verbs.  Past jobs - use past tense verbs.

Source: Creating Your High School Resume: 
A Step-by-Step Guide to Preparing an Effective
Resume for College and Career,
1998 by Kathryn Kraemer Troutman

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