2016 MSOE Career Services Dept Guide

1. Inconsistency: Employers notice any mistakes and inconsistencies. Common ones to avoid: x Ending some bullets with periods and others without. x Formatting some dates with hyphens and others with dashes, improper spacing around the hyphen/dash, and for months, using words for some and numbers for others. x Inconsistent spacing between or within sections. 2. Too Informal: Professional resume language is important. Avoid these informalities: x 1st person pronouns (except when absolutely necessary). x Bad: I designed the lighting system for a 1,500 sq. ft. real estate office. x Good: Designed the lighting system for a 1,500 sq. ft. real estate office. x Contractions (I’m, that’s, etc.). 3. References included on the resume: Never put your references directly on your resume. They should be on a separate document that you bring to an interview or only send if requested. 4. Spelling errors (and grammar disagreements ): Any mistake will cause employers to throw away your resume. 5. Generic traits: Employers prefer tangible information. Avoid these generic words: Hard working, fast learner, highly motivated, detail oriented, organized, etc. 6. Missing information: Remember to include these things on your resume: x Start and End work dates (Month Year - Month Year …or… Month Year - Present). x Company location (City, ST …or… City, Country if outside the U.S.). x Your contact information (at least phone and email). 7. Too much information: Do not include the following: x Every single job task you had to do . Focus instead on skills/accomplishments with some context. 8. Accomplishments and context not quantified: Numbers will really help catch the reader’s attention. For example: “Worked directly with 6-person engineering team on $50,000,000 hospital renovation.” 9. Paragraphs and complete sentences: Bulleted lists and concise phrases are much more efficient. 10. High School Information x Graduation date and school name are unnecessary. x College juniors and seniors should not list many high school achievements. Alumni none. x Specific company street address or zip code (only need City, ST or City, Country). x Marital status, age, high school graduation date, religious or political affiliation, etc.

Bonus 11. Availability too desperate or demanding:

x Avoid words like immediately, ASAP, now, etc. (“Currently” is preferable).

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