Resumes come in many different shapes and sizes depending on the field and the applicant’s level of experience. There are, however, generally accepted guidelines:
Keep your resume to one page
A one-page resume is considered ideal for college students and recent graduates. If you believe that you need a two-page resume, check with your faculty member or a Piper Center coach.
Avoid personal pronouns
Do not use “I,” “we,” or “my” in a resume. Save them for your cover letter. Start your bullet points with an action verb.
Use verbs in the past tense
Because your resume describes what you’ve done in the past, use verbs in the past tense: “reviewed,” “examined,” “presented.”
Use a verb in the present tense only if the work or activity is ongoing and you are doing it at the time you are applying for the role.
Use a readable font and font size
Be consistent in your choice of font. Times New Roman, Garamond, Helvetica, and Arial are compact fonts that allow you to include more information. Do not use a font smaller than 10 point.
Include white space
White space — the top, bottom, and margins of a resume — is important. Aim for a resume that is uncluttered and visually attractive. A crowded resume may give the impression that you’re unorganized or that you lack confidence (you’re including everything because you’re not sure that you’ve done enough).
Be sparing with italics, underlining and boldface type
You may use italics, underlining, and boldface type to highlight a point, but try not to create a cluttered look. Use highlighting consistently and infrequently.
Proofread your resume
Proofread your resume to make sure that there are no misspellings or grammatical errors. Check your font size and spacing throughout.