A successful job search begins with a great resume, but where do you start to write a great resume? 

There are so many tips and tricks to crafting a great resume that it can get confusing what is right and what is wrong, and it’s all a bit subjective to the amount and type of experience you have and what type of role you’re applying for. 

If you’re applying for a more creative-based role then adding some flair to your resume may be more acceptable, but if you are applying to a front desk agent or food and beverage director role, it’s best to keep it simple. 

Here are our top resume writing tips and articles on what to do and not do to help.

Formatting 

•  Keep it simple
• Use traditional fonts that will translate to all computers and programs – sometimes fancier fonts or Mac based fonts won’t show up on a Windows computer, or a non-design based person’s computer
• Don’t use an image of yourself, it can create bias on the employer side 
• Stay away from adding graphics or vectors to your resume – candidates sometimes use visual representation of their skills, like bar graphs. Those can render incorrectly after passing through an ATS, or not even pass through the ATS so your resume may not even make it to the hiring manager
• If you have 5 years or less of experience, keep your resume to one page, 6 years or more of relevant experience you may need two pages
• Save you resume with your name in it – for example “janedoeresume” or “JaneD_FrontDeskAgent” this makes it easier to find for hiring managers 

Related articles:

Picking the Right Resume Font

How to Write a Successful Hospitality Resume – Template Included 

Helpful Hints for Creating an ATS Friendly Resume

Content 

• Include your contact information – specifically your full name, phone number and email address
• Results from previous job experiences, not only job duties performed – how many rooms did you clean per shift? How many guests did you get to post positive reviews about their experience? Did you create an efficient process for your responsibilities? Ddi you increase social media engagement or website traffic? 
• Job related keywords from the description – Make sure to read through the description and pick out important keywords to mirror in your own resume
• Hospitality certifications if you have them 
• Do not include references or a sentence stating “references upon request” – hiring managers know they can ask for your references if they need them, you’re just wasting space for other more important sections 
• Show your emotional intelligence – Hospitality is based in building and maintaining relationships, so if you have examples that show your EI, include them 
• Proofread, proofread and proofread
• Have someone else proofread your resume before sending it 

Related articles:

How to Write and Results-Oriented Resume 

Resume Keywords: What You Need to Know

How to Show Your Emotional Intelligence on Your Resume and Why it’s Important 

Once you’ve sent your resume over, make sure to follow up after with these tips

This is How to Follow Up After Submitting your Resume