Tips In Constructing That Perfect Resume
In today’s fast paced and dynamic industry, one should be able to literally sell themselves to potential employers in order to win not just an interview but also that desired position you have always dreamed of. Like every sales agent, you too should have an effective sales pitch and resumes are there to serve that purpose. In a brief 60 seconds or less, a resume should be able to highlight your skills, job experience and achievements and at the same time, show your reader a clear image of who you are and what you are able to do for them.
First up, quickly take notes about your future job and then analyze if your previous work experience, education and skills fit with it. Always remember that summarization is the key. Resumes are almost similar to cover letters except that you’re just about to use a different format and be more keen to details.
Kick off with a header consisting of your name being centered at the upper most part of the document and then followed by your contact information. Use a font that’s twice the size of all your other contact information. Also, use a professional looking and sounding e-mail address for your document.
Next to your header is the choice of placing a traditional job target or a positioning statement right after your contact information. Either one works and it is completely up to you on which one to use. Keep in mind that the statements themselves should be descriptive and most importantly, eye catching. Also limit them to a range of 10 to 20 words max.
Next up, it is time for you to list down your skills and achievements in bulleted statements. Again, use summarized, quick and effective statements for your achievements and qualifications. Here are a few examples:
* Directed world-wide promotions for over 20 X-company products.
* Increased X-company’s annual earnings by 20% in two years.
* Accredited in 2DDesigner and 3DSmart graphic software packages.
Now, for the “Professional Experience” section. Usually, work history is a list of your most recent experience to your oldest which includes company names, job titles and employment dates for each entry. There might be a lot to cover since it varies from person to person but again, the key here is to emphasize and not to flood your reader with information.
If by any chance there are gaps or idle periods in your professional career, be sure that you clearly state in your resume what you had been doing during those times. Irrelevant jobs should not be included but then again, they should still be listed to avoid or lessen resume gaps. Just lay low on their details if ever you include them in your resume.
When selling yourself to your prospective employer, avoid being modest. One should use strong statements along with concrete proof to show their success. It is also important to choose and show your accomplishments rather than your responsibilities.
When formulating your entries, here are a few tips that you should consider to add more eye candy to your document. Always be sure that you use action verbs and buzz words in your sentences. Words like “implemented” and “completed” creates an image of you being able to take care of business as well as being assertive. Buzz words on the other hand shows them that your work is indeed in tune with what they are looking for. If you have important names to mention, be sure that you include them. If none, use the job titles of the people whom you have reported to. Another important factor to consider to consider is to note percentages, numerical figures and other financial information for they can give credibility to your accomplishments. Lastly, be sure to include your other qualities like good team leadership, good communication skills or other positive and unadvertised qualities. They may appear irrelevant but employers are always keen to these kind of details so be sure that you don’t leave them out.
Professional experience is more valuable to most employers than education. On the other hand, if you are an individual who has more education and low on work history, you may need to consider being more detailed on your educational profile.
List down your education starting from your most recent to the oldest. Include schools entered, inclusive years, and degrees attained. Relevant job courses can also be included if you still have enough space for them to fit in your resume. Academic awards and school GPAs should be excluded since school GPAs are worth nothing unless they are above B average.
Probably the easiest and most effective way of displaying our skills is by creating a table to showcase them. Categories such as Graphics Software, Web Development and Spoken Languages can be used to effectively show what you have to offer. If most of your skills are in-line only within single area like retail, there is no need for tables. A simple list would be enough.
Volunteered experience should also be included especially is it’s within your industry. It should never be left out since most likely you will be including a few important names with it.
Never include character references at the end of your resume. Most employers would simply ask for them by request so just bring out a copy of your reference resume just in case they need one.
Before sending out your resume to potential employers, be sure to do some proofreading and have a couple of people read it and give their most honest comments about it. It is necessary to have it error-free since most employers lose interest after stumbling upon just one error. Once done with all the tweaking, it is now time for you to send them off to your future employers and wait for those interviews to come knocking down at your door.
