The purpose of a resume is to introduce you to the reader.

An effective resume makes the reader want to interview you, and provides a sense of your style, attitude, and ability.  Your resume communicates your qualifications for an internship, employment or graduate school, and highlights your education and experience.

Successful resumes have a clear focus emphasizing your strengths for a position.

The secret to resume writing success is to think about what kinds of positions you are applying for, and then think about your skills and experiences that make you a strong candidate.  Your resume should focus on the strengths that you bring to a position or industry.  If you are looking at several industry areas or at several kinds of positions, it is likely you will have a different version of your resume for each niche.

Write a powerful objective statement.

Be specific, clear, and direct.  Tell your reader the type of position you are seeking and highlight any skills you have that match the position.  Focus on what skills / experiences you bring to the employer, not on the experience you are hoping to gain.

Include complete and current information on your resume.

Include your name, address, e-mail, and phone number for contact information.  Include the name of the organization, city, state and dates of employment or involvement in activities as well as descriptions of what you did in these experiences. 

Craft clear and concise descriptions of your experiences.

Choose headings to positively describe and emphasize the information in each resume section.

Make sure job titles, locations, employers and dates are listed in the same format with each entry.  Use descriptive phrases containing a verb.

Use adequate, understandable, concise descriptions of experiences.  Emphasize your accomplishments.

Avoid nondescriptive words including "was responsible for" or "duties included.”  Vary verb choice so as not to seem redundant within entries. 

Follow a consistent format.

Formatting styles including bold, italic, and ALL CAPITALS, indentations, lines, etc. should be used to highlight important items or to add interest to the information's presentation.

Make it as easy as possible for someone to skim your resume and still know important facts about you. 

There should be absolutely no grammatical and spelling errors.

Solicit feedback on your resume from many sources.

Have your resume reviewed by a variety of people, including career center professionals, employers in the functional area of interest to you, and by friends and family.  Implement the advice that makes the most sense for the information you are trying to communicate.  Remember, you are the expert on your resume; make sure it reflects who you are!