The Resume Layout

Once you have gathered all your information, you can start putting it down on to paper. Ideally, your resume should consist of the following sections:

1. Personal Details

This section will include your name, address and other details personal to you. Remember though, you don't want to take up too much space with this section, as you want to quickly move on to the real substance of your resume - your skills, qualifications and experience.

People often include too many irrelevant details in this section, and while it may be interesting to know where you were born, it is unlikely to be the reason that you're invited for an interview. You should also avoid giving details such as your age, your marital status, your state of health and whether or not you have any children, as these may be used to discriminate against you.

Only include information that you think support your application as a candidate for the job. For instance, you could mention that you have a clean driver's license if you were applying for a job as a sales representative.

Try to avoid the old-fashioned and somewhat stilted way of presenting your name and address:

Name: Joe Brown
Address: 4899 South Street, Springfield, CO, 56834
Telephone: (416) 7654-321

A much more effective way is simply to write your name and details, and center them on the page like this:

Joe Brown
4899 South Street
Springfield, CO
56834
(416) 7654-321

By presenting your name in this human and straightforward fashion you have made a statement about yourself. It also allows you to be slightly less formal with your resume while still being professional and supplying all the important information.