Can you do the job? Can you get along with other people? That’s what employers are trying to figure out as they look at your resume. And they’ll look at it for only about 30 seconds—so your best selling points must come popping right out at them. Follow the guidelines below as you write your resume.

A few overall pointers:

• Tailor your resume to the job you’re applying for. Keep several different versions on hand for jobs that require different kinds of skills or experience.
• Write your resume for the person who would supervise the job you want, not for a human resources director.
• Emphasize your skills and accomplishments. Show what you can bring to the job, and that the employer will benefit by hiring you.
• Don’t oversell yourself or otherwise create a false picture in your resume. You'll be found out soon enough, so play it upbeat but straight.
• Don’t leave any unexplained gaps in your resume. You must account for all your time since you got your undergraduate degree.
• Edit and proofread! Always have another pair of eyes check your work. Your resume must be logical, grammatical and free of typos, spelling errors and factual mistakes. Abbreviations, punctuation and spacing should be consistent. In journalism especially, where attention to detail and love of clean copy are givens, just one mistake can send your resume sailing into the trash.

Content

• CONTACT INFORMATION: Put your name, current and permanent phone numbers and mailing addresses, and e-mail address at the top of the page. Make yourself easy to reach. (Now’s probably the time to get rid of that wacky message on your answering machine too.)
• OBJECTIVE: Should you include one? It’s not necessary, because your cover letter will target the job you’re applying for. And having a vague-sounding objective ("To use my communication skills in the print industry") or one that doesn't match the job you're applying for is much worse than listing none at all. Better to leave it off.
• EDUCATION: Put this section next if your education is stronger than your journalism experience. If you’ve done two or more journalism internships, you’ll probably want to lead with your experience. In the "Education" section, list all the colleges you've attended and your major/minor and date of graduation. Include study abroad and special certificates. Put the items in reverse chronological order. Don't bother putting your GPA unless it’s higher than 3.5. Characterize your forthcoming CUNY M.A. in Journalism this way: "expected [month/year]."
• EXPERIENCE: Consider dividing this section into two parts: "Journalism Experience," where you put your journalism jobs and internships; and "Other Experience," where you list non-journalism jobs that demanded skills applicable to the profession (juggling multiple tasks, research, writing, dealing with the public). If you did any jobs to put yourself through school, mention that also. List your jobs in reverse chronological order within each section. Put your job title first; then the name of the employer (publication, website, broadcast outlet or company); the city and state; and the dates you worked (month and year). Include stints with the campus newspaper or broadcast station as well as internships. For each job entry, give details that stress your accomplishments. Don’t just say you were a reporting intern; list your beats and mention some of the more challenging stories you covered. Write in short punchy phrases, not complete sentences; don't use "I." Use action verbs: "created," "wrote," "researched," "edited," "developed," "built," "earned," "initiated," "completed." Avoid the deadly phrase, "Responsibilities included…." Quantify your duties and achievements. Give the frequency and circulation of the publication or the market size of the broadcast station where you worked, especially if it’s not a widely known name.
• SKILLS: Do you know another language? List it, and include your degree of proficiency. This section should also include any special knowledge you have of computer databases, web design, and video and editing equipment and software.
• HONORS AND AWARDS: List your journalism-related honors and any other awards that may relate to the job you’re seeking. Don't include anything from high school.
• PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS: If you belong to any journalism-related organizations, put them here.
• INTERESTS: Include this category only if your activities are noteworthy. Ideally, they should relate to the job you're applying for. Have you traveled extensively? That shows a curiosity befitting a journalist. Are you an amateur naturalist? That may interest a science editor.
• REFERENCES: It's OK but unnecessary to put "References available upon request" at the end of your resume. Employers assume they are. Put your reference list on a separate sheet. That way you can tailor it to the job you’re applying for.

Format

• Keep your resume to one page.
• Use white or off-white, good-quality, 8½-by-11-inch paper. Keep it neat—no smudges, stains or crinkles.
• Choose a font that’s easy to read, even at a small size. Make your name bigger so it will stand out.
• Don’t justify the margins. Use a ragged right margin, which is easier on the eye.
• Don’t clutter the page with borders or little icons.
• Set off key information—job titles, organization names and section headings—with boldface, italics or all capital letters.
• However, if you plan to e-mail your resume or have it scanned, you should avoid using boldface, italics, underlining or bullets. Those touches sometimes get lost if you paste your resume into the e-mail message, and they can confuse a scanner. Use all caps to highlight section headings and your name.