Outline of a Resume:
Know Where You're Going!
Preparing an outline of a resume before you start writing can make this task seem a
little less daunting. Many of us have a problem talking about ourselves - tooting our
own horn. Now is not the time to be shy. Your resume will either open the door for you, or
slam it shut. You need to create a resume that tells a prospective employer a compelling
story. Lots of people have talent. Why should they hire you?
One of the tricks professional resume writers use is to start the process by outlining
the most important information about your background. This outline can then be used as a
roadmap to actually creating your document.
Use the resume outline below to get you started. You'll find more expanded information
on each of these sections throughout Top-Sales-Jobs.com. And, the advice applies whether you're in
sales or some other discipline.
Outline of a Resume
I. Contact Information
In this section, you'll list your basic contact information:
name, address, phone numbers, email address.
II. Summary Statement
A summary statement will take the place of an objective on your resume.
It's a short narrative that highlights your key skills. It's easiest to
actually write this section after the rest of your resume is completed.
III. Professional Experience
Present your experience in reverse chronological order, starting with your
present position and working backwards until your first professional experience,
post college. For each employer, you'll need to include the following:
- Name of Employer
- Brief description of the employer
- Location (City/State)
- Dates of Employment
- Position Titles & Dates
- Short description of your responsibilities (i.e. your job description)
- Selected accomplishments for each role. What did you do to distinguish
yourself in each position you held?
At this point, we're just looking for a bullet point list. Don't worry about how it sounds.
Record the facts and some brief notes on each accomplishment. You'll edit, prioritize,
and build all of these out later.
IV. Academic Credentials
Make a note of the schools you attended (post high school!), and degrees conferred.
If you have attended professional training programs, list those as well. If you've
received any special academic recognition, like a scholarship or academic award, make
a note of those as well.
V. Professional Organizations
List all of the professional organizations you belong to, and any officer positions held.
You can include any volunteer activity here as well.
That's it! You're done. If you did not spend much time on listing your accomplishments,
go back and revisit that area.
Accomplishments are the most important part of your resume.
They bring your experience to life for the hiring manager, so make sure that you think
through this section carefully.
You'll find more detailed information on each of the resume outline sections above by following
these links:
