If you want to impress a potential employer, then it’s important that you put together a really good resume. A well-written resume is often the difference between getting an interview and not getting one at all. It’s also a way of showing your personality and skills in a concise format. And don’t forget, when writing your resume, put yourself in the shoes of the person reading it: what would make you stop reading? What would keep you interested? In order to write a great resume, think about these questions carefully.
And then it’s time to get to work on that resume. You know what the employer is looking for, but you have no idea how to present your skills and accomplishments so they’ll be interested in taking a chance on you. The secret is in how you package all your information: organize your resume chronologically, listing jobs from most recent to oldest, and arrange them so that they’re easy for employers to read and scan for key information.
Parts of A Resume
Contact Information
It’s important to include contact information on your resume so that potential employers can reach you. You should have a current phone number, email address, and mailing address, which you should try to keep as professional as possible.
Resume Summary
A resume’s summary or objectives should be a one or two-sentence statement that succinctly tells the employer what you want to do. The objective should be a brief description of your skills and qualifications, and it should tell the company what kind of work you’re looking for. This is important because it makes employers notice your resume more quickly when they’re scanning through hundreds of applications.
Skills
When writing a resume for a specific position, it’s important to include the skills that are relevant to the position. You might need to research and list all the skills listed in the job description, or you may want to use bullets and bold letters to highlight the skills that apply to your area of expertise.
Professional Experience
When listing your professional experience, you should include a brief description of the company or business where you worked. Include the position you held and the industry it’s related to. It’s a good idea to mention any awards or achievements you’ve received while working for this company as well, as they will help you stand out from other candidates.
Education
There are many skills that you could include on your resume, but education and training are important parts for many reasons. It may be that you’re trying to change fields or move up in your current field. If you’re forced into changing careers due to job loss, then this is also a good time to make use of your skills by considering what other career paths suit them best. Your training and education will always help you find something to do. You may even want to list any certificates or extracurricular activities that relate to the field you’re moving into.
Formatting a Resume
When writing your resume, it’s important to keep some formatting principles in mind. The two most common formats are functional and chronological formats. A chronological resume is the traditional way of writing resumes, with the professional experience appearing from most recent to least. A functional resume lists your skills, but not the jobs you had. This helps make it easier for employers to see what skills you have.
Chronological Resume
A chronological resume is the traditional way of writing resumes, with the employment experience appearing from most recent to least. This format is simple and successful. A chronological resume is a list of your jobs in reverse order with the most recent job first and working backward. Employers have a good grasp of what you do because all your jobs are in one place. In addition, they can see that you have been at each job for a fixed amount of time and when each job ended. It is also easy to navigate through because all your information will be in one place.
Functional Resume
A functional resume is a list of your skills, but not the jobs you have had. A functional resume helps employers see what skills you have without going through all the information of your work history. This is helpful because it saves a lot of time on a person’s part and helps them find a job quicker. It focuses on the skills and knowledge more compared to what companies or job titles were had. It can minimize mistakes that might be made with a chronological resume because you can focus on each job more closely rather than listing them all together as one big career overview. This may be used when changing careers or have little relevant experience in the target position.
Tips in Writing Resumes
It’s important to be concise and simple. The point of a resume is to briefly tell an employer about yourself, so you only need to say what you need to say in as few words as possible. The best length for a resume should be one page but if you have a lot of experience, you can for two to three pages.
Skills are important because they can help you stand out from other candidates. For example, if a job requires a lot of computer skills, then it would be good to list them on your resume. You also want to make sure that you’re addressing any skills that the job may require. For example, if a job requires a lot of interpersonal skills, then you need to show the employer that you have these skills.
One example of this is to show if you have had experience in Microsoft Office Suite, Adobe Illustrator, and InDesign. This shows employers that you are knowledgeable about the new Adobe programs and are able to be productive at work right away.
If you are switching careers, then it’s important to list the skills that pertain to the new career. Some examples of this might be if you’re switching from the medical field to the culinary field; think about what kinds of qualities and characteristics each requires and highlight those on your resume.
Start Writing Your Resume
Writing a resume is an integral part of the job search process. It’s not just about listing your qualifications and skills but also highlighting how they are relevant to the position you’re applying for. Remember that it should be concise, simple, focused on skills rather than titles or responsibilities, and formatted in either chronological or functional style depending upon your experience level.
