The thought of writing or re-writing your resume can seem like an insurmountable task, and sometimes even intimidating. Where do you start and what should you include or not include? In this article we've included some tips on resume writing that shouldn't be missed.

Your Contact Info
Begin your resume by centering your name at the top of the first page. Use your complete name. Beneath your name, position your mailing address, telephone number, and e-mail address. This information is critically important because it enables employers and recruiters to contact you for additional details and, potentially, to schedule an interview.

Where to Put Your Education
There are differing thoughts on where you should list your educational background on your resume, some experts feel as though it should be before your career history and others feel as though it should be after your career history.

A good rule of thumb is that if you have advanced degrees, such as a Masters or Doctorate, you should list your education credentials before your career history is detailed. Also if you are in a field of study such as Law or Medicine, listing your education at the top is considered the norm. Otherwise your education should be listed after your career history.

In addition, if you are a new graduate or about to graduate and don't have a substantial amount of work experience listing your education before your career history is acceptable.

Avoid 3rd Person References
All too often when people write their own resumes, they write them in the 3rd person. While this is considered acceptable for an executive bio on a website or industry trade magazine, it is considered an unacceptable format for a resume. For example if you are John Smith, don't write your resume with sentences that lead off like this "Mr. Smith is an accomplished Resume Writer," or "Mr. Smith developed an application that increased the efficiency of a widget by 3%." This same rule applies to cover letters as well.

One Page or Two
Trying to get your resume onto a single page isn't easy; two pages are OK if your career history and accomplishments warrant it. Anything beyond two pages may overwhelm or even bore the reader. When detailing out your accomplishments and responsibilities, ensure that your two most recent positions have the most information listed, and are on the front page. No one really cares about what you did in your first job out of high school 20 years ago.

Your resume is your personal marketing brochure.
Think of yourself as a product with unique features and benefits, and the employer or recruiter is a customer who needs this product. Your resume should be like a sales tool, telling the reader why they should want to meet you for a demonstration of who you are.

Use your resume to get the interview.
Don't go into detail about every item on your resume. The purpose of your resume is to generate enough interest in you to have an employer contact you for an interview. Again, think sales brochure. No one has ever been hired because they had a really detailed resume.

The 2-Minute Rule
A reader reads the average 2-page resume in about 2 to 3 minutes. This means you have to grab their attention in the first 30 to 45 seconds, otherwise they won't even make it to the second page. If you have included a career summary or executive summary section on your resume, make sure it's concise and directly to the point about who you are, as this is frequently the first place an accomplished resume screener will read.

Use a Font that is Easy to Read
A 10 or 12 point font in Arial or Times New Roman are the best choices for your resume and cover letter. They are easy to read and consistent with most business writings of all types. In addition if the company you are sending your resume to uses scanning software, these formats are easily read by most scanners.

Adding a Keyword Section
Thanks to Internet resume databases and scanning software, the keyword section is becoming more and more prevalent on resumes. Typically you should only have a keyword section on your resume if you are in a technical field where you can list your software and hardware backgrounds.

Use bullet points.
In the body of your resume, use bullets with short sentences rather than lengthy paragraphs. Resumes are read quickly. This bulleted sentence format makes it easier for someone to quickly scan your resume and still absorb the contents.

Use Power or Action Words
Use words in your resume that are descriptive as the first word in your bullet points. Words to consider using are: Supervised, Led, Developed, Mastered, Coordinated, and Managed. These words convey to the reader confidence in one's ability and accomplishments.

Lead with your strengths.
Since resumes are typically reviewed in less than a few minutes, take the time to determine which bullet points most strongly support the type of job you are applying for. Put those strong points first where they are more apt to be read.

Stick to the Positive Points
Leave negative and irrelevant points off of your resume. Your responsibilities and accomplishments related to your career history are what the reader is looking for. Irrelevant personal information is not. You will not get an interview because you are a champion clog dancer.

Add numbers to your accomplishments
Employers and Recruiters look for people with measurable accomplishments. Numbers, dollars, and percentages stand out in the body of a resume and grab the reader's attention. Think along the lines of number of people supervised, increased sales by $X amount of dollars, decreased departments payroll budget by X% percentage points.

So make sure your resume includes the numbers. For example; Supervised over 20 sales managers and 200 sales associates, Reduced payroll expenditures by 10%, Increased sales 36% over last year and 15% over budget. These numbers give a potential employer a framework of reference on what you can do for them if you're hired!

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