How Do I Format Resume Qualifications?

A resume is a great marketing tool not only for getting a job, but also for guiding the conversation in a job interview. Your resume qualifications listed on the document should be easy to read, clear, and organized in such a way that an employer can clearly understand what you did, why you did it, and when you did it. Not every resume will be the same, however, which means the various ways in which your resume qualifications can be presented will vary drastically. Think about the overall flow of the document, as well as the job for which you are applying, when choosing the proper formatting.

First and foremost, you should be willing to edit and rearrange your resume for each job you apply for. The resume qualifications listed on your resume can vary in importance depending on the job for which you are applying, so you want to make sure that the most relevant information is read by an employer first. You can determine which resume qualifications are most important by reading the job description carefully; you can pick out key words in the job description that will dictate what the employer values in a potential job candidate, and you can then tailor your resume to fit those important qualifications.

Of course, if you do not want to tailor your resume repeatedly, you can list resume qualifications by date, importance, relevance. You should ensure that each qualification is clearly written and easy to read; you can do this by using bullet points, bold headings, and a clear font. Do not use colored fonts, as this will come off as unprofessional. Your qualifications should be broken down under different, clearly stated headings, such as Education, Job Experience, Volunteer Work, Awards and Achievements, and Professional Groups and Honors. Each heading will give the reader a guide as to where to look for specific information.

Think about the relevance of each heading in relation to your career. If, for example, you are fresh out of college and you do not have any job experience, you will probably want to highlight your education and volunteer work. If, however, you have been out of school for decades and you have worked in a specific industry ever since graduation, your education may be less important than your achievements within the industry. You should present the most important or relevant resume qualifications first, and this will depend on what you have achieved in your career so far.