A popular question a lot of folks have is: "What's the right way to punctuate?"

It's a great question to ask, especially when your career may depend on it. A lot of employers will scoff and laugh when they see the words "detail-oriented" followed by a bunch of consecutive punctuation mistakes.

Here are 3 easy rules to follow when writing your resume or cover letter.

1. Place a period at the end of a statement or command.
For example:

I would appreciate the opportunity to discuss how I can further your organization through increased sales.

2. A period is optional at the end of each phrase in a list:

Over the last ten years, I have developed expertise in:
- Juggling multiple tasks at once.
- Delegating tasks appropriately.
- Providing detailed analyses promptly.

or

Over the last ten years, I have developed expertise in:
- Juggling multiple tasks at once
- Delegating tasks appropriately
- Providing detailed analyses promptly

but you may also use semi-colons in the following manner:

- Juggling multiple tasks at once;
- Delegating tasks appropriately; and
- Providing detailed analyses promptly.

3. Though you may use a period after abbreviations such as:
- Blackstone, Inc. is my current employer.
- MBA / M.B.A.

you should NEVER use abbreviations no matter how common they might be.