Your resume is your ticket into an interview. For your ticket
to be valid you need to put extra effort into writing your resume. There are key
points that all employers look for in a resume so make sure you are one of the job
seekers who knows what they are! Read through the following tips to learn more about
perfecting your resume.
The basic format for your resume should be clean, clear and
organized. Make sure your resume is no longer than one to two pages.
In most cases if it is longer than that then you are not being specific enough.
Organize your information and credentials and be consistent with how the data is
presented. Format the text with a font like Arial, Times New Roman or Verdana.
Make your resume readable by leaving plenty of white space.
Do not write your resume in paragraph form. You want to get your point across
as quickly and clearly as possible. Run on sentences and text overload will make
it that much easier for the reader to send your resume to the trashcan. Use a bulleted
format and condense the text for added proficiency.
When writing your resume remember to be specific about what transferable skills,
experience, and accomplishments apply directly to the position you are applying
for. Only include relevant information worth mentioning.
Be sure to include accomplishments and successes from previous
work as opposed to simply listing your duties. Accomplishments include
things like facilitating company growth, promotions, certifications and licenses
or completing special projects.
List your previous work experience and education background in reverse chronological
format. This means your most recent job will come first, and so on. Use the present
tense for current positions and past tense for past positions. The employer will
be looking for some sort of order.
Make sure you have two or three people proofread your resume
before submitting it. Typos are easy to overlook after working on a document
for a long time and can give the wrong impression to the company. They may assume
the person who sent the resume is lazy or does not pay attention to detail. These
two attributes are not something you want tied to your resume.
Do your best to communicate to the organization that you are
the best candidate for the position. Sell them on the idea of hiring
you. Always keep in mind what you have that others do not that will benefit the
employer’s company. They want to know what you can do for them. If you make this
clear when you send in your resume then you can expect a phone call to set up that
first interview.
Because it can sometimes be difficult to write a brilliant resume on your own, take
advantage of online resources where you can find more tips and information on how
to write a resume. Also, posting your resume on a niche job board will get you and
your credentials into the hands of multiple employers who are serious about hiring
a qualified and available candidate.