At its most basic, a resume should paint an accurate and engaging picture of your abilities and demonstrate how you are suitably equipped for a particular position. There are two very key points here that will be stressed again and again in the ABA Guide To Resume Writing. First, a resume has to paint a comprehensive and logical picture for the person who will be reviewing it. Don't confuse the reader with irrelevant information or complicated sentences. Your resume is not a puzzle for the reader to solve.
Information needs to be laid out clearly, concisely and logically.
Don't expect the reader to piece together disparate pieces of information in order to gain an impression of your skills and experiences. We know you are a complicated creature but the person reviewing your resume probably won't respect your uniqueness enough to prevent them throwing your resume in the nearest bin. The first thing a hiring manager notices when reviewing a resume are inconsistencies or oversights. Thinking of your resume from the perspective of the employer will give it focus and clarity and keep you out the recycle bin. The second thing to remember is that your resume is being sent for a specific purpose.