I am not a professional and I have not written many resumes in my short lifetime. however, while at my internship, I went to a professional development workshop about writing resumes. At this workshop, we reviewed a fake resume and corrected what we believed to be incorrect and then went over our own resumes. These are the most important tips I learned.

1. Your resume is only 1 page.

It doesn't matter if you have 20+ years of work experience, you need to be selective depending on what job you're applying for; not every job you've had in your work experience may be relevant to the job you're applying for.

2. Watch the language you use.

Some companies have specific acronyms that other companies do not use. For example, SEO means "search engine optimization". When you use this on a resume, the company you're applying for may be unaware of what it means.

3. The average hiring manager or recruiter looks at your resume for less than 15 seconds.

Make sure the most important information is at the top like your experiences. This is why your resume must not be longer than a page.

4. Use quantitative data.

Recruiters are more likely to notice numbers on resumes because they stand out. Use quantitative data on your resume. For example, instead of writing "sent emails to the organization once a week", write "sent weekly emails to over 30 people".

5. USE ACTION WORDS.

Action words are so important and make you stand out.

6. Include contact information.

Use a professional email and not the email from your former job. Make sure all information is updated and your voicemail box is set up. Leave one email, one phone number.

7. Stick to the minimalist ideals.

If you want to use colors on your resume, use one other color (not including black). This is not the case for those applying for jobs in the art or design profession.

8. Use no more than 2 fonts.

It's distracting when you use more fonts and it also looks like you cut and paste things.

9. Never include a picture on your resume.

This one has exceptions- if you are in theatre or modeling, you may use a professional headshot. In some countries outside of the United States, pictures are required.

10. Reasons why you left your last position

There is no reason to explain why you left your last position on your resume. If you get an interview, feel free to explain in the interview.