With the core résumé topics out of the way, you now need to decide if any custom topics need to be included, like honors/awards, certifications, community service or organization/association membership.
Honors/Awards. Under this category, you would list any honors or awards received when in school or on the job. Rather than write a paragraph on the information, just write: XYZ Award received by X Corporation; January 2005. This gives you the opportunity to tell the story about receiving the award when you are face to face during the interview.
Certifications. This category allows you to showcase any certifications you received while completing a program or other training. Again, list it short and sweet: April 2005 – CPR Certification; XYZ Corporation.
Community Service. This is a great listing for those who are very active in their communities by volunteering. No long paragraph here, either: XYZ Chapter Habitat for Humanity Volunteer; 1990-2005. Believe it or not, employers like to see altruism because they often volunteer time and money for community initiatives.
Organization/Association Membership. Like the above categories, you would list your organization affiliations very simply: American Diabetes Association Board Member – 1998-1999. List the affiliation, your title (member, board member, vice president, etc) and the length of time you were associated with the group.
Custom resume topics are a great way to further prove why you are an asset to any company. Be sure to think of anything that may not be listed above that can add some spice to your résumé. Again – you are selling yourself, so do it right!