Resume Outline - Add Structure & Flow to Your Resume

Building your resume, based on a resume outline will give it structure and flow... it provides an outline of all the things you should include in your resume.

A resume is one of the most important documents you will ever create

First you have to decide on a particular format for your resume. The two main formats in use today are chronological and functional format. Which one is best to use will depend greatly on your situation.

To build your resume you can use free resume forms located on the web. This can provide you with directions if you are having trouble building your resume.

A sample resume outline would include the following sections:

The Heading

Your resume should start with the heading. You can list your basic details so the employer can contact you. You can include your name, address, telephone number and e-mail address.

NAME
ADDRESS
PHONE NUMBER
EMAIL ADDRESS

Job Objective

This is an optional section of your resume outline. Here you can tell readers what the objective of your resume is and what you are looking for.

Example:

Entry-level accounting position with medium to large public accounting firm.

The "Body" is the largest section of your resume outline This is where you can enter details about your education, work experience and additional information. The body contains:

Education

Here you can list your educational background.

Educational Background Format: College, Degree, Major, Honors, Relevant Courses

Sample Education Section: Drexel University BA Educational Leadership, May 2000

If you have a college education, do not list your high school information. You can also list any honors for academic excellence in this section of your resume outline.

If you are a graduating senior or looking for an internship, you can add a relevant courses section to your resume outline.

Employment History

This is an important part of the resume. Here you can list your previous employment history. If you are using a chronological resume format, you should list the most recent job positions first on your resume outline.

Example:
Drug Emporium, Wayne, PA
Cashier, June to September, 2001
Supervised customer check out
Handled the cash register
Managed and stocked merchandise

You can also list relevant volunteer activities or work experience programs if you do not have much job experience.

Achievements

If you have any special achievements you would like to announce, you can use this section. Maybe you made a suggestion that saved your previous boss a ton of money. You can list it in this section of your resume outline.

Special Skills

The remaining sections of the resume can include additional skills such as fluency in a foreign language.

References

You should leave this section out altogether. References are not required at this stage and stating that 'References are available upon request' is assumed anyway... so you just end up wasting valuable space!

Additional Optional Sections

You can add additional sections to your resume outline such as volunteer work, community involvement or honors. You also have to decide on the layout of your resume.

Choose a common font and medium range font-size, such as 12. Decide how you want to highlight the headings of the different sections. You can use bold, italics or underline to highlight section headings. Some people use bold and a larger font size to highlight their name on the resume.

The last part of your resume will probably receive little focus, so if you have a marketable skill or outstanding honor you should try to incorporate them in earlier sections of your resume.

You can find a lot of resources on the web that can provide you with free outlines and sample resume layouts. Usually an outline will differ if the resume is for a recent college graduate or a long time professional. Choose a resume outline that is specific to your career field and you can build your resume around that outline.

Roger Clark (BSc) has over 25 years experience in career development & recruitment at a senior level through top management positions he has held with major international companies.

You can visit his "Top Career Resumes" website for a wealth of top quality information relating to the employment market.

http://www.top-career-resumes.com

http://www.top-career-resumes.com/resum e-outline

---

Dont Forget to Say, Thank You

One of the biggest mistake for job seeks is to... Read More

Should You Telework/Telecommute

"WOW! I can work from home and make money? I... Read More

Internships: Bonkers or Brilliant?

I have something to say that's driving me batty. It's... Read More

175 Power Verbs and Phrases for Resumes, Cover Letters, and Interviews

While you're revamping your resume or cover letter or constructing... Read More

How Important Is It To Stand Apart From Others In An Interview And How Difficult Is It?

Any professionally trained interviewer can attest these questions are the... Read More

Resumes Arent Important - They are Everything When it Comes to Getting an Interview

Employers and recruiters receive hundreds of resumes for every position... Read More

Why It Is Impossible To Raise Your Standard Of Living Working A Job

Everything in nature has been endowed with what it needs... Read More

Dress For Success

You have heard the phrase, "Dress for Success." This is... Read More

How to Overcome Being Overqualified

Have you ever gone through the interview process, felt confident... Read More

Creating a Winning Resume

Preparing your resume can often seem like a daunting task.... Read More

Can You Actually Fail A Personality Quiz?

Q. I didn't get a job that I interviewed for.... Read More

Finally The First Online Job Agency in Mauritius

Mauritius is a small island in the Indian Ocean with... Read More

Gray Hair, Black Prospects

If you're reading this article, I'm sure I don't have... Read More

Workplace Violence - 8 Tips For Spotting Early Warning Signs

One of the greatest threats facing both employees and the... Read More

Writing A Great Resume, Part 1

Need a great resume to land that great job coming... Read More

If You Think You Cant Change Course... Youre Right

You've heard the... Read More

4 Internet Job Search Mistakes to Avoid

The Internet is the most powerful employment tool on earth.... Read More

Genes and Work Ethic

If you have good genes, you are blessed. If they... Read More

Finding Freelance Writing Jobs - Join Us On The Job Search

Finding freelance writing jobs require great skill, dedication and lots... Read More

The Quickly Changing Landscape Of The Job Market

Does it seem that with every passing year it's getting... Read More

Loving What You Do

Man is a social animal and survival is his major... Read More

Do You Have What it Takes to be a Successful Petite Model?

Want to break into the petite modeling industry but wondering... Read More

A Bit of Pollyanna

"Stop being such a Pollyanna," a trusted, more experienced colleague... Read More

Love What You Do!

"To love what you do and feel that it matters,... Read More

Applying for a Job in China

Working in ChinaWorking in China is very common now. Either... Read More

From Bumbling Bosses to Cranky Co-Workers ? How to Overcome What Makes You Hate Your Job

I'll be the first to admit that I hated my... Read More

During Midlife Change: Are You a Jumper or a Clinger?

Over the years, I have identified two kinds of midlife... Read More

The Perfect Fit: Women & Franchising

An interesting combination of factors at this time in history... Read More

Yesterdays Project Manager is Todays Project Engineer

The rapid growth of technology, greater exposure to knowledge, higher... Read More

Make a Good Living Doing What You Love

Don't let anyone talk you into going to college when... Read More

Personal Contacts: The Key to Successful Networking

When the word "networking" is used, we tend to think... Read More

An Unexpected Career Direction

My starting point was how to draw on 25 years... Read More

Traveling for An Interview? 10 Tips to Get You From Here to There

You've just been granted an on-site interview in another town.... Read More