So open up your word processor, get your resume on the screen, and spend five minutes editing it into a sharp, single-sheet document. The biggest mistake people make when writing their resume is to forget that this is your sales pitch. It’s not a life history - prospective clients don’t give a hoot what your hobbies are, or exactly how many months you spent touring Europe as a student.
What they want to know is simple - can you do the job? Ensure that your resume is focused on answering that question. Tell them clearly and concisely about your qualifications in this field, and your related experience.
Keep it short and to the point. Don’t claim experience you don’t have, or distort your experience to fit a job requirement. Just sell your strengths honestly and clearly, and you will be sure to make a good impression.
Summarise each key element of your career to date into a separate paragraph. Use active verbs (‘I worked on,’ not ‘I was able to work on’), short sentences and simple phrasing. Make sure that each paragraph is easy to read. Remember that the prospect may have many resumes to consider, and you only have a few seconds to make an impact. Make them count.
Once you’ve finished editing, check your resume carefully for spelling mistakes and grammatical errors. A simple mistake can ruin an otherwise perfect document.