This topic certainly appears out of place in a site for and about entrepreneurs, but one route taken by entrepreneurs is to  work for a company -- to earn sufficient capital, to learn the tricks of the trade (almost all successful entrepreneurs will tell you that one secret for entrepreneurial success is to gain more knowledge or informatioon on the business you're planning to go into) and to get exposed to the right crowd (sometimes, it's not what you know, but who you know). Anyway, going back to the resume, here are some helpful tips on writing an effective resume, or, curriculum vitae.

Keep it short and simple, but focused on the needs of your prospective employer. Put the more important and relevant qualifications up front. Use conventional English. In a competitive global working environment, you need an outstanding resume to get one foot in the door. While getting hired is the ultimate purpose of a resume, the immediate purpose is to get an interview (tips for a successful job interview).

 

There's really no single format to use and not all resumes are created equal. You can choose between the CHRONOLOGICAL or the FUNCTIONAL formats. The chronological format is the usual straightforward format, listing your education and work experience in a chronological fashion. The functional format, on the other hand, prioritizes and highlights key skills and accomplishments, with certain examples. Considering that each format has each drawbacks, it is advisable to combine both formats.

There are some basic elements of a resume - a concise objective, chronological work history, relevant education history, relevant personal information. Some guides would tell you not to include personal information like age, marital status, height and weight, parents and siblings), but some employees would want these information. Place your contact information at the top of the page. Include your cellphone number and email address. Also include your professional and civic associations, when relevant, but generally don't include your hobbies.

Know your prospective employer. Do your research. You need to know the needs and requirements, as well as the important values, of the employers, in order to tailor-fit the presentation of your qualifications.

In listing your work experience, include the the name of the company that employed you, its location, your position, the dates of your employment. Do this in chronological order. Include a short description of your duties to highlight any skills learned on the job. Include the most relevant educational qualifications. Some would say to leave out high school and elementary education, but you could simply add a single line if you're an honor student.

Edit and proofread carefully. To err is only human, but in a field where there are a lot of perfect resumes, typos and errors do not really add to your chances. Double check for grammatical or spelling mistakes. Have someone read it again.

Use acceptable materials. Use a good quality letter-size white paper and on a good quality printer. Use bold print for headings. Uniform font type and size is better for easy reading. Remember that in a stack of papers, your resume should stand out even with one look.

Keep a copy of your resume; you'll never know when you need it again. Update it from time to time to incorporate your new qualifications. Prepare a core resume to include everything, and simply revise/shorten it later to suit your needs.