A resume is a document that is written by an applicant seeking a job. The resume can be seen as an advertisement for the employer so that they can decide whether the applicant is suitable for the job or not. It includes the complete information of the individual including the complete address, the qualification details and the employment history. Not only just factual information is included but the skills of the individual are also discussed and what services can the individual offer to the prospective employer. Resume are basically the only way for individuals to persuade employers and score an interview. Thus your resume should be very impressive and strong. A boring resume will not push an employer to call you in and you will lose the opportunity to score a job of your dream.
Resume writing is considered an art. Why so? Not everyone can write a compelling resume. It takes special skills to write resume that is outstanding. Because of its particularities, writing a resume is a rare skill that not many are able to master. In the 21st century it is very difficult to land a good job as there is a lot of competition. There’s always going to be someone better than you, with more educational achievement or experience. In this competitive environment it is very important to market yourself effectively so that employers choose you. The best way to do that is to convey your message through your resume. Make it as interesting as you can all the while being professional. Write it with your complete attention and make sure there are no mistakes. Here is a list of things you can do to make sure you land that job:
1) Make sure that you have a professional email address. We all have had embarrassing email addresses when we first made our email accounts, understandable so. But now that you’re all grown up you cannot use the same embarrassing email id. Its time for you to make a new one. It is best to make a new email address for professional purposes as it will be easier for you to track professional emails and they will not get buried under personal emails. If an employer looks at your childish email address then it is highly likely that you can bid that job good-bye.
2) Make sure that all the information that you have written is accurate. Check your contact details, look at the phone number, and see if any digit is missing. It will be a shame to lose a job because of a typing error. Moreover, you need to be extremely honest when you are writing about your education and work experience. Lying will get you nowhere. Make sure that all the information you put in is a 100% accurate and there no discrepancies.
3) When writing your resume, make sure that you are not making any errors. Any errors such as grammatical mistakes, spelling mistakes and improperly placed punctuations can put a very bad impression on employers. At this stage such mistakes are intolerable and can be a reason for the rejection of your resume. Try to get your resume reviewed by someone who has a command on language and will be able to judge your work and read it to rectify all errors. It is better to have a fresh pair of eyes to review your work and give you proper feedback. There can be several mistakes that you must have over looked, the new person reading it can easily identify such mistakes. This will help you improve the content of your resume and correct all the mistakes.
4) Use the power of words to show how good of an employee you are what skills of yours can greatly benefit the company who hires you. Refrain from writing a job description, but write about how resourceful you can be for them.
5) Be specific, do not include details that are useless and will be a bore to read. Employers usually have a short attention span and do not have time to waste. They cannot read the long stories you have written, they just skim through the text and read for the important details. Make your resume presentable and avoid writing in long paragraphs. It’s better to add bullet points so that they are easy to read and you can effectively get your point across.
6) Avoid being superficial and using vocabulary that you are not very apt at using. If you misuse a word, instead of it being in your favor it can go terribly wrong and you will be embarrassed in front of the employers. Use vocabulary that you are acquainted with. Also avoid using jargon in your resume as the new employer may not be familiar with them.
7) Quantify your work. Do not be general when you’re talking about your achievements. For example avoid writing “I got promoted after some while to such post” Instead talk about how long it took for you to be promoted. As in “I got promoted after 6 months” this is a good trick to make your audience gauge your success with numbers.
8) You must include segments such as: ‘workshops attended’, ‘languages’ and ‘certificates’ or ‘extra-curricular achievements’. This will help the employer get an insight into your life and see if your qualifications are fit for the position.
9) The presentation of your resume matters a lot. That does not mean you should use different fancy fonts. Remember simple works best. Use the standard font such as ‘Arial’ and ‘Helvetica’ and adjust the size to a readable size. It should not be too small and not too big. If you use a childish font or a font size that is too big, the employer will not grant your resume a second glance. To avoid that use a mature font and an appropriate font size.
10) Divide your resume in sub headings. This will make your resume easy to read the reader can maintain their attention without getting lost in words. You can use headings such as ‘Experience’, ‘Education’ and ‘Skills’.
11) Tailoring your resume is probably the smartest move you can make. Read the job description for the position you want to apply at again and again. Reading it will help you look for keywords you can use in your resume. This will be like giving the employer subliminal messages that you are perfect for the job. But be very cautious and embed these words skillfully so that the employer does not latch on the trick.
12) One other tick is to put the most interesting details on the front page of your resume. When the employer holds your resume, they are going to first rest their eyes on the top part of your resume. Keeping the most important information there can be very fruitful.
13) Insert all the requirements that have been specifically asked for by the employer. If the requirements are incomplete then chances are that your resume may get rejected. So make sure that you have included all that is required. Check it multiple times just to be sure.
In conclusion, do not take your Resume Writing as a piece of cake, it frankly not. Directly or indirectly, your resume decides whether or not you get the job. The competition nowadays is getting tougher with each passing moment. You need to up your game and guarantee yourself an interview. This can only be done if your resume is impressive. Try all your best to follow the latest resume trends and keep your resume updated. Make sure there are no mistakes, no typos in the resume. Make it certain that you do not lie on the resume as sooner or later the employer will find out and this will cause you great embarrassment. Your resume should radiate maturity, do not use any childish email addresses, and make a new one if need be. Use a professional format and writing style. Give your resume your utmost attention and do not lay it off, write it with complete sincerity. Practice these skills and you’ll soon be able to master the art of writing resumes. Good Luck, with these tips and tricks you’ll surely be able to land the job of your dreams.
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