A resume is like your visiting card to a prospective employer, it is what makes the first impression. A bad resume could cost you the interview call and the job and make that first impression the very last one they have of you!
Here are some simple pointers to get you on your way to creating a resume that's designed to impress; one that presents your experience and capability in the best possible light, to win you interviews and jobs!
- Use your resume as a marketing tool - Your resume is like a sales pitch or an advertisement for you. It needs to show you in the best possible light. Gloss over weaknesses, highlight your achievements and be sure to 'sell yourself' in the context of the role you are applying for.
- Include an 'Objective' - The purpose of this section of the resume is to summarize your career aspirations. This helps potential employers understand your goals and see if that fits in with their organization and the role they are considering you for. The absence of an objective or summary section may indicate a lack of focus. Making your objective statement too generic is not a good idea. Customize it for each role you apply for to show you alignment with the needs of that job.
- Choose carefully between Chronological and Functional resume formats - Chronological format resumes are the norm and work well in most situations. Functional resumes are good only if you intend switching industries or fields and want to showcase skills that would transfer well to your new role. They sometimes work if you are applying for a job that is focused on skills and is not likely to depend much on how fast you have moved up in your organization (that is displayed best in a chronological format).
- Use keywords - There are some words which look good on resumes if used correctly. These are typically words that demonstrate your skills and contribution as a key player on assignments in your previous jobs. Some jargon relevant to a role you are applying for may be good to use if you feel your previous roles had some areas closely linked to the one applied for. Avoid overdoing it though.
- Keep it professional - Avoid listing out personal information such as your hobbies, age or marital status unless specifically requested. If you have significant achievements in some of your hobbies, like a certification received or an award you were given then list those under an 'Awards and Achievements' section.
- Start with recent information and work backwards - List your most recent educational qualifications first and work backwards until your high school level. Include the name of the qualification, the year you graduated as well as your grades/scores and achievements at each level. For work experience as well, work backwards from your most recent job. Remember to include the name of the organization you worked for, the location you worked at, your job title, dates of employment and specific job skills and achievements.
- Explain what's needed - Sometimes you may need to explain a few things on your resume. For instance, your job title. Some organizations have job titles that don't fairly reflect the scope of the role. In such cases explaining what your title in an equivalent role in a different organization would have been, may be good. Also, if you obtained a qualification overseas, mention the equivalent degree your employer will be familiar with in brackets. On the subject of education, if you find yourself applying for jobs at the end of a course for which you are yet to get the results, it would be a good idea to include the qualification with a note in brackets mentioning the date you expect to qualify. Something to the effect "Results expected in Apr '08" will work well.
- Don't explain everything and don't reveal too much, but keep it honest - Avoid getting into details like your reasons for quitting a job or switching jobs. Also gloss over gaps by including experience gained off the job during that time --- courses you may have attended or part-time work you may have done should all be mentioned. Don't be tempted to tweak dates though, that is sure to get you in trouble.
- Talk about your achievements and not the organization's laurels - Your resume is about you and not the company you worked for so don't waste precious space on your resume telling your prospective employer all about the previous company - unless you had a pivotal role in the creation and growth of the company. If you worked for a small organization, it will be all the more relevant for you to explain your role and what you achieved rather than waste airtime explaining why the company was 'not that small really'!
- Talk about success stories and not responsibilities - Merely listing out what you were in charge of in your previous role won't win you any brownie points. Most people who have applied for the role are likely to have had similar work experience, so you will also probably have had many of the same responsibilities. What will make you stand out from the crowd is what you did with that responsibility and what you achieved for the organization. Mentioning your achievements and landmarks in the previous role will demonstrate your competence, your commitment to the job and organization, your skill and superior ability.
- Present your contact details clearly - List your postal address, email address and phone numbers prominently at the top of your resume so it is easy for recruiters/potential employers to contact you.
- Format your resume well - Format your resume so that the page doesn't appear cluttered with too much content. Stick to font sizes of 10 or more so that your resume isn't hard to read when it is printed out. Don't use colors and colored paper unless you feel the organization you are applying to will appreciate it (like a creative company where you are applying for a designer's role). Use a crisp, clean sheet of white paper to print it out on.
- References - Most companies ask for references after they have shortlisted you for an interview and usually after they have decided to hire you. So trying to impress them with a list of powerful references may not get you an interview call. It will also lose you precious space on your resume! A happy medium is to add a note at the end of your resume saying something like 'References can be provided on request'.
There is so much a good resume can do - it really can open up doors for you and get you that dream job! If you'd like to know more about resume writing watch this space!
If you'd like some professional help with your resume, try our new resume review service. If you think your resume is ready, why not try our 'How good is your resume' test?
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