Resume Writing Tips for the Computer Age

January 23, 2007


1. Your Résumé: The purpose of a résumé is to market your skills, knowledge, and accomplishments to an employer in a way that convinces the employer to interview you. Your résumé must blend the results of these efforts into one cohesive, persuasive, and attractive statement.

2. Types of Résumés: With the advent of the computer age, there are now two basic types of résumés that you should be familiar with and utilize, depending on the mode of submission: standard or electronic
a) Standard Version - a paper version; word processed with bullets and other features; for mail, fax or in-person submission at the ICRs. Features: alignment, bullets, bolding, italics, underlining, capital letters, and wide choice of fonts.
b) Electronic Version - a plain text document, which can be e-mailed to schools, sometimes following school specific guidelines. Features: No tabs, bullets, special formatting or underlying, maximum 65 characters per line (including spaces and punctuation), no choice of font on the receiving end.

3. Headings: Include each of the following headings on your résumé if they apply to your situation. Remember, a résumé is your calling card, and you must be comfortable with it.
 • Contact Information (Name, Address, City, State, Zip, Country, Phone, E-mail Address)
 • Citizenship
 • Objective
 • Education/Certification
 • Special Skills (specialized training in technology or another field)
 • Relevant Experience
 • Extracurricular Activities/Sports/Community Involvement, etc.
 • Honors and Awards
 • Professional Organizations
 • Travel
 • References - (add a separate sheet)
          -Names, Titles
          -Institutions and dates of employment
          -Current position of referee
          -Phone: work/personal
          -e-mail address
 • Personal details (brief)

Excerpted from NewsLinks, a publication of International Schools Services.