Dear Cindy – The Readable Résumé

• Avoid acronym overload, and especially avoid obscure acronyms that people may not know.

• Avoid jargon overload. Think of the Queen's words in Hamlet, "More matter, with less art."

• Less is more: keep sentences brief! Avoid things like: "In my role as a social worker at Facility X, I gained two years of outstanding experience in outpatient and inpatient mental health, working with children and families, and providing psychosocial assessment and counseling (including individual, family, and group), using strategies such as … " To keep it readable, use short sentences, and/or highlight major types of patients/responsibilities in a list form.

• Avoid using too many "$25 words," i.e., big words. There are three dangers. First, if you can't "afford" the word, which means that you don't really know what it means, you'll look foolish using it. Second, you may use the word correctly, but if the recruiter doesn't know the word, s/he won't know what this marvelous thing is that you did (and you'll look pompous). Third, you may use the word correctly, and the recruiter may know the word, but will wonder why you didn't use something simpler (and you'll look pompous). Think about it: You were involved in "designing a more commodious dayroom for patients." Some people will think that you placed a toilet in the middle of the dayroom. Remember: You can improve your department's functionality just as well as you can ameliorate it.

• Avoid using superlatives. (Did you note the "outstanding experience" in point number three?) Anything like "outstanding experience" begs questions of how and why it's outstanding, which gives the reader pause. If you have a specific achievement, such as "Medical Secretary of the Year Award for 2004 at Hospital X," include it.

• We can't say it enough: Avoid spelling errors and silly internet short forms, such as, "i am interested in the radiographer job u r advertizing." This is asking to have your query tossed or deleted.