Welcome to the working economy! Well, that won't be that long when you finally get your way in into the company you are prospecting to work. You might be saying that it's still a very long way to go but instead of discouraging yourself, try to be optimistic and let your resume be your stepping stone to getting that dream job.
According to The Ladders, an american job matching service and employment websites, most recruiters have made up their mind in the first six seconds of scanning the applicant's resume, and within that short time-frame, they've already noted everything from your name to your education background, to your current title and company, and previous title and company.
So how would you make that six seconds count?
To help you get into the short list, you better prepare something that will catch the attention of your interviewer but by that, I am not saying you wear revealing clothes or show off vulgar attitude. Wear something formal and as much as possible and maintain a well-behaved manner while you are in an interview. Now, going back to that "something" you must carefully prepare your resume, you should make sure that it is unique yet relevant to the job description you are aiming for.
"If you have a brand new degree from a prestigious university then push education up higher on the page. For job seekers fresh out of school, the education and skills summary are the key sections of your resume. but if you have a previous position that makes you a great match for an advertised job, there's no rule that says you can't highlight your work history and put education further down the page "
According to Deb Hornell, business consultant, career coach, and founder and president of Hornell Partners. “Employers primarily want to know what differentiates you from other candidates, and you don’t necessarily need work experience to convey this”.
“Reflect on the experiences you’ve had – internships, volunteer work, entrepreneur activities, awards and honours,” Hornell says.
“What have you learned about yourself? What sets you apart and how would you bring value to a potential employer? These descriptors can be woven into the resume, cover letter or email,” she explains.
“If applicable, include a thesis or dissertation title; GPA (especially if it’s high); and extracurricular activities like internships or roles which require you to apply and be selected, such as teaching assistant, resident hall assistant, or other paid work on campus.”
Customise your resume for each job application
“Cover letters and resumes should be adjusted to display all of the skills and experience that are pertinent to the job you’re applying to,” says Morgan McBride, human resource expert and managing editor at GenFKD.com
“It’s very common to get a very generic resume or cover letter and have no clear indication that the candidate has the skills I need or that they have even read the job listing,” she says.
“The candidate who is clearly interested in my firm, and who took the time to read about what I need, always stands out.”
Be specific and precise
Kandi Mensing, owner and founder of EliteHRTeam.com, notes that many job seekers miss out on the opportunity to highlight their transferable skills because they aren’t specific enough.
“Even if you were a waitress, you can highlight your abilities by mentioning how much cash you handled, whether you trained incoming staff, and if you effectively practiced customer service, or ensured accuracy of orders and cash handling procedures,” she says.
One great way to emphasize your accomplishments is to quantify them whenever possible. For example, instead of simply saying that you managed a team, you could be more specific and specifically say that you managed a team of six.
Show the employer what you can do for them
McBride notes that too often, resumes and cover letters are all about how the candidate would be lucky to get the job – rather than how the employer would be lucky to get the candidate.
“I get so many resumes that just talk about how the job I’m offering will do so much for them – how it’s the perfect place for them to start their careers, build their resumes, and achieve all of their dreams,” she says.
“I want to know what you can do for me – not what I can do for you,” says McBride.
Use the right keywords
“A lot of resumes are electronic and employers search them based on keywords, so some will be highlighted or marked in recruiting systems for containing those keywords,” explains Mensing.
The most important thing you should keep in mind about using keywords is to read the job posting carefully and pick out those words that stand out among the rest. Just don’t avoid going overboard with keywords rather, keep an eye out for awkward phrasing or repetition.
Be consistent in your writing and formatting
It sure can be distracting to see a resume that is inconsistently written, isn’t it?
“Formatting errors drive me nuts,” says McBride. “So many people do not align subtitles, bullet points, and text. In one part of the resume a title will be centered, while in another section it’s aligned to the left, and often indentations do not line up properly.”
The same goes for your writing; if you choose to describe your current position in the present tense, and prior positions in the past tense, that’s fine, but it has to be done consistently.
Including irrelevant or damaging information in your resume
As I have already emphasized above, your resume should only bear relevant and positive information.
Career coach and author Lavie Margolin says job seekers don’t need to share personal family information like marital status or number of children, and jobs that occurred more than 20 years or that lasted only a few months should also be left out.
“Your resume is a marketing piece as opposed to a work history,” he explains.
Things like history of incarceration or controversial political or religious leanings that have nothing to do with the job should never be included.
“Provide this information if and when necessary on a job application but leave it off the resume,” advises Margolin.
Providing an out-of-date contact information
It’s funny sometimes that this section of the resume is frequently overlooked when this is one of the most important parts of your application.
“Applicants sometimes leave their contact information off their resumes and/or cover letters,” says McBride. “Having contact info on every page of your application makes things easier for the hiring manager, plus it makes contacting the applicant for an interview a breeze,” she says.
You should make it a point to double check all of your contact information especially your up-to-date phone number and email address. Employers just won’t spend their precious time trying to track you down.
Using an unprofessional email address
Many job seekers fail to think about what kind of image their email address is portraying to a prospective employer.
“Non-professional email addresses such as “jessicarabbit4real@” should not be on a resume,” says Margolin.
You should create an email address with just a combination of your first and last name, and if necessary a number or two.
Using an objective instead of professional summary
Kandi Mensing notes that objectives are often vague and limiting. Instead she suggests highlighting your education or having a “skills and attributes” section that contains keywords that are relevant to the position you are applying for.
Using vague and flowery language
You should never use big words and purple prose just to fill space or make your qualifications sound better than they are.
“Sometimes the language in some of the job description bullet points is so vague and/or complex that I have no idea what the candidate has done during their career - let alone whether or not it’s applicable to my company,” says Morgan McBride.
You should use clear and precise language that conveys what you are trying to say without letting the readers getting bored.
Now that you have everything you need to know about resume writing, you should be able to write your own impressive resume which will open doors for you to get hired on your dream job. Unless otherwise you still find it difficult or confusing to write a perfect resume, you can surely make use of a professional resume writing services such as Cheapest Essay. Their professional resume writers are honed with advanced writing skills to help their clients with all their writing needs. Should you need any more help with your resume, kindly follow this link.
We always aim to deliver great articles to our valued readers so always check our blog for more great articles coming soon.
According to The Ladders, an american job matching service and employment websites, most recruiters have made up their mind in the first six seconds of scanning the applicant's resume, and within that short time-frame, they've already noted everything from your name to your education background, to your current title and company, and previous title and company.
So how would you make that six seconds count?
To help you get into the short list, you better prepare something that will catch the attention of your interviewer but by that, I am not saying you wear revealing clothes or show off vulgar attitude. Wear something formal and as much as possible and maintain a well-behaved manner while you are in an interview. Now, going back to that "something" you must carefully prepare your resume, you should make sure that it is unique yet relevant to the job description you are aiming for.
Building Your First Impression
Writing your own resume is no easy task however, there are things you can workout to increase your chances of passing through the first screening and getting into the short list of candidates.
Karen Southwall Watts, a career coach and business consultant advises that job-seekers take enough time to polish the specific areas that will catch the interviewer's attention while they are scanning your resume.
-Karen Southwall Watts
She also emphasizes that it is important that you understand the culture of the company where you are trying to apply and bear in mind the expectations of the department you'll be working with once you're hired.
"There are generational and industry differences in what hiring managers want to see in the way of application materials," she explains.
"A polished, traditional resume might get you plenty of attention as finance professional, whereas a company looking for a marketing, PR, or social media person will be expecting more on your LinkedIn profile, your social media profiles and perhaps a dedicated websites about your qualification," Watts' added.
Resume Template
There are thousands of resume template available online but mind you that most career experts recommended not to use a template at all. This is basically due to the following reasons.
- One template never fits all when it comes to the job search;
- Online templates won't accurately represents your unique skills; and
- It won't accurately represent your.
We cannot also take away the fact that many templates uses outdated formats, cliched catch phrases and keywords and most importantly, it makes your resume looks like a copycat.
But if you are confident enough to write the content of your resume yourself and you are just looking for some guidance with the formatting, a basic resume template can help you go through it. You can search for ready-made resume template but bear in mind that your purpose of looking through it is for guidance only and always remember that you can always change things a bit to better reflect your skills or line of industry.
According to Rich Grant, author of the blog rich career, the following samples of basic resume templates shows a good example of a better template.
Wondering why it is a better template? It is because of the following reasons:
- Lucie's resume highlights the applicant's accomplishments by positioning recent educational accomplishments higher up on the page.
- Her resume provides specific examples of leadership, teamwork and organisational skills.
- Her resume uses space more efficiently by leaving out irrelevant information like high school references.
- Her resume uses a "qualification summary" rather than an "objective".
Writing your Personal Statement
A personal statement, also called professional profiles or career summary provides a description of your best attributes and accomplishments in a few lines which basically give the recruitment manager the reason whether your resume is worth their time or not.
Jay Cherie, career coach and author explained that "I tell people that it's like painting a picture of how you fit into a company instead of leaving them to figure it out." However, she also notes that the best interview preparation doesn't begin the day before the interview; it happens at every step of your job hunting process.
"Hob seekers should focus on their achievements and show that they have the qualities required for a specif job, such as "increased annual profit by 20% or managed a $1.5 million budget", she explains.
Cherie also notes that this section should be adjusted for different positions and applications, because highlighting skills that aren't relevant to the job in questions may mean having the resume discarded.
Here are five helpful tips in writing your personal statement:
Here are five helpful tips in writing your personal statement:
- Make it simple and brief
A personal statement must only consist of at least 50 words but no more than 150 words. The shorter it is, the better. You don't have to iterate everything in this section as the purpose of it is to make the recruiter crave to read more about your resume. - Be precise
It is proven effective that being straight to the point is much better than going on roller coaster explanation. Be specific as possible and use concrete examples to back up your statement if possible. Don't confuse the recruiter with vague expressions like "my skills", you must tell them exactly which skills of yours you're referring to.
When writing your personal statement, you can use bullet points to highlight your specific sets of talents and competencies without writing a very lengthy description about each one. - Include the three essentials
Your personality - The best way to introduce yourself is through giving a short but precise overview of your experiences. For instance, "As an experienced manager within the hotel industry, I have proven track record of..."
What can you do or offer to the company - Sell yourself. What recruiters often notice especially to first time job seekers is that they are not confident enough to bargain for themselves. Without prior working experience you can still provide specific examples of your accomplishments as a student but make sure that the experiences you will provide is relevant to the job you are vying for.
What are your goals in your career - Finally, you can finish your personal statement with a brief sentence about your career goals.
- Observe ConsistencyIf you decide to write your resume in a third person perspective, make sure that it is written all throughout using a third person point of view. This is for the main reason of avoiding confusions for the reader of your resume.
- Use only few keywords
Aim for fewer specific keywords that are related to the job you are applying for. Look out for the set of keywords form the job advertisements itself, you may include these keywords in your personal statement however, if you are not sure if you can stand up for with those keywords, you can always do a research that relate that particular industry or position.
The reason why you should only use fewer keywords is because using too many keywords would make your resume look awkward. It is also important that you read your summary out loud a few times so you'll have an idea how it would sound to someone else.
Avoid Pitfalls and Common Mistakes in writing your Resume
Listed below are the most common mistakes that job seekers often commit when writing their resumes so make sure that you don’t commit any of it.
- Attaching a photo of yourself in your resume
If you will not be working in the acting or modelling industry where your appearance is would matter, then there is no need to include your photo on your resume. Basically, your interviewer has only six seconds to make up his mind and dividing his attention to scan through your photo deducts to the time he should be spending looking through your skills and relevant experience.
Career experts also asserted that including a photo in your resume will increase the likelihood that you will be discriminated against or prejudiced, moreover, a photo can also detract you from your professional classifications. - Never write negative things in your resume
If you have been previously employed and you have a not so good experience with your previous job, you should never share that information in your resume. If you will be asked about it during the interview, then probably you can briefly explain the situation but never in your resume. Your resume should only contain positive information. - Don’t write any irrelevant information in your resume.
The only personal information that you should provide in your resume is your name and contact details.
You should never include in your resume information like your height, weight, civil status, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion and even political affiliations for it may only subject you to discrimination which may lead you to be unfairly judged.
However, there’s an exception to this rule. You can include your hobbies and personal interests which are relevant to the job you are applying to. It may also help your application standout among other applicants vying for that same position. For example, if you are applying for a job at a music store, including the fact that you play an instrument or frequently go to concerts might help you to stand out in a good way. - Never include outdated information in your resume
It is a general rule that information about your previous jobs that are 15 years or older must not be included in your updated resume anymore for it will just seem irrelevant to the hiring manager and it will just consume the space that you should be allocating to more important details about you for your job application.
Similarly, if you’re over 25, your high school information is no longer relevant, and that IT class you took in 1998 isn’t going to impress anyone. - Don’t include your salary history as well as your expectations
Your resume should never include your salary history and even the salary you are expecting if you get hired. Remember that there is a proper time and place to discuss your salary but certainly, it’s not on your resume.
Why should you not include your expected salary figure? For the very reason that the recruiter might find your expectations too high or too low which will lead him to exclude you on the list.
If for some reason the job posting asks you to include your expected salary, it should go in your cover letter, but you’d still be better off writing “competitive” or “negotiable” as opposed to a specific figure. - Never use unusual fonts or layout for your resume
There is no question that originality helps you boost your application in one way or another but generally, employers would like to go through a resume as easy and quickly as possible.
Avoid doing anything that will make your resume cumbersome or difficult to read, like oddly shaped paper or tiny and elaborated fonts or fancy borders.Instead, use a standard A4 size, avoid loud or mismatched colour schemes, and stick to a layout and format that makes sense and allows for easy reading. Make your resume look as formal as possible. - Proofread your resume
Pay attention to small and superficial errors you might have committed during the writing process. You can try to read your resume out loud to spot awkward phrasing or misplaced words, commas or other punctuation marks.
Many find it difficult to correct their own writing errors and if you too find difficulty in spotting all your writing errors, well, you can make use of legit resume writing services and have their professional resume writers help you out. If you feel there’s no need for your resume to undergo proofreading, you should think again. A single error in your contact number or email address can blow off all your efforts at once.
Keywords and Buzzwords
It has been explained already why keywords are essentials in helping your resume stand out however if those keywords are the same keywords that other applicants are using, then it became buzzwords. These are words that are commonly used by almost every job-seeker which makes your resume kind of generic.
According to LinkedIn annual list of overused buzzwords, the following cliched phrases are the most commonly used buzzwords which you should be aware of when you are writing your own resume:
These buzzwords aren't bad and does not connote negative descriptions either however, many job seekers tend to use them as standalone description in a list or sentence without providing any further explanation and or no specific examples of it.- Creative
- Effective
- Motivated
- Extensive Experience
- Track Record
- Innovative
- Responsible
- Analytical
- Communication Skills
- Positive
Many recruiters use these buzzwords in job posting and even use it to screen through applicants' resumes using an automated tracking system. Resumes with the right keywords on it are then selected and would go on to the next level of the hiring process.
Basically, the trick here is not to eliminate all the buzzwords in your resume. Rather, you can work them out in your job descriptions and professional summary in a way that it will actually add merit to your application.
Remember to always back up you words with examples, otherwise, they will be meaningless. And also take not of this, if you want to include buzzwords to describe your basic skills and traits, better not to do it. For instance, being "responsible" perfectly describe you but since it is a basic requirement of any job to hire someone that is responsible enough. It is implied or what else would you be? Irresponsible?
Hank Boyer, an experienced recruiter and CEO of Boyer Management Group. believes that when used properly, keywords and specific examples can help a job seeker stand head and hsoulders above his or her competition,
Hank Boyer, an experienced recruiter and CEO of Boyer Management Group. believes that when used properly, keywords and specific examples can help a job seeker stand head and hsoulders above his or her competition,
"The resume must be customized for the specific position" Boyer says.
"Most employers are using some form of analytics that compare the match of keywords pertaining to the position, to a candidate's resumes and online applications".
"Most employers are using some form of analytics that compare the match of keywords pertaining to the position, to a candidate's resumes and online applications".
"Only the top dozen or so highest-matching resumes will be seen by human eyes," he explains.
"The resume most likely to be acted on for an interview are those that quantify the accomplishments listed under education and experience."
But how will you write about the quantify of your accomplishments? Boyer shares the following examples.
We all know including keywords and buzzwords in your resume is helpful, but only when you use them correctly. The following tips should help you greatly.
- Consider “curb appeal.”
“A resume is a visual document. This means that using a layout that is organised, symmetrical, and allows “resting places” for the eyes with good use of white space, and is not overly text heavy or styled works best.
A document that looks like a novel often scares the reader off because it looks like too much work.” - Move beyond the duties.
“Most recruiters know the general duties related to careers within their specific fields. What really stands out is the impact you had and results you drove within your career.
A more unique way a candidate might describe the position is:
a.)Initiated a minimum of 60 outbound calls daily to C-level professionals in the software industry
b.)Exceeded company activity standards with an average connection rate of 20%
c.)Planned and tracked sales funnel
Almost every role has a measurement of success – customer satisfaction, time to complete a task, volume of activity completed, error rate or even internal performance measurement rankings. Whenever possible, list those accomplishments or the impact you made in the role.” - Think outside the box
Of course, there are always exceptions to the rule, and sometimes a more creative approach, providing it stays within the boundaries of professionalism, could help you get noticed.
In some industries like graphic design or film, a creative resume can give you a huge advantage over someone who goes the traditional route. So if you’re handy in the design department and have a great idea for a resume template that will really stand out, then by all means, go for it.
There are plenty of examples of people who thought outside the box and executed a creative idea that blew everyone away, but on the other hand, there are also a few instances where candidates’ attempts to be original earned them a place on a list of the wackiest resume blunders.
The key is to really know your industry, the company you are applying to, and your own limitations.
Beth Campbell Duke,a youth career educator and author of the book “Future-Proof Careers”, stresses that before you even think about using an innovative format or adding creative touches; you need to get the content right.
“Since you are not likely to know who is reading the resume, you want to make sure that when the resume grabs attention, the content keeps the reader engaged,” she says. “Fancy formatting doesn't gloss over a poorly written resume.”
“When it comes to formatting, you can be as conservative or edgy as feels right to you, always keeping in mind that your resume is a marketing document created for the reader,” says Campbell Duke.
“Don't make it too complicated for you to deal with - because you have to target each resume you send out. And don't make it hard to read - or it won't be read.”
“The reality is that there's no 'perfect' format - because every position, recruiter and HR professional is different. And you don't fit every position out there,” she adds.
How to Write a Resume Without a Working Experience
Writing a resume would be a lot easier if you already have working experiences to supply on it but it doesn't mean that a newcomer in the working industry cannot come up with an impressive resume. Creativity is your key weapon here. Believe in yourself that you can still get ahead of those candidates with working experiences and we're here to guide you on how you should do it.
Emphasize you educational attainment as well as those transferable skills you gained during your internships, summer jobs and other extracurricular activities.
“Reflect on the experiences you’ve had – internships, volunteer work, entrepreneur activities, awards and honours,” Hornell says.
“What have you learned about yourself? What sets you apart and how would you bring value to a potential employer? These descriptors can be woven into the resume, cover letter or email,” she explains.
“If applicable, include a thesis or dissertation title; GPA (especially if it’s high); and extracurricular activities like internships or roles which require you to apply and be selected, such as teaching assistant, resident hall assistant, or other paid work on campus.”
The Do’s and Don'ts of Resume Writing
THE DO’S OF RESUME WRITING
Customise your resume for each job application
“Cover letters and resumes should be adjusted to display all of the skills and experience that are pertinent to the job you’re applying to,” says Morgan McBride, human resource expert and managing editor at GenFKD.com
“It’s very common to get a very generic resume or cover letter and have no clear indication that the candidate has the skills I need or that they have even read the job listing,” she says.
“The candidate who is clearly interested in my firm, and who took the time to read about what I need, always stands out.”
Be specific and precise
Kandi Mensing, owner and founder of EliteHRTeam.com, notes that many job seekers miss out on the opportunity to highlight their transferable skills because they aren’t specific enough.
“Even if you were a waitress, you can highlight your abilities by mentioning how much cash you handled, whether you trained incoming staff, and if you effectively practiced customer service, or ensured accuracy of orders and cash handling procedures,” she says.
One great way to emphasize your accomplishments is to quantify them whenever possible. For example, instead of simply saying that you managed a team, you could be more specific and specifically say that you managed a team of six.
Show the employer what you can do for them
McBride notes that too often, resumes and cover letters are all about how the candidate would be lucky to get the job – rather than how the employer would be lucky to get the candidate.
“I get so many resumes that just talk about how the job I’m offering will do so much for them – how it’s the perfect place for them to start their careers, build their resumes, and achieve all of their dreams,” she says.
“I want to know what you can do for me – not what I can do for you,” says McBride.
Use the right keywords
“A lot of resumes are electronic and employers search them based on keywords, so some will be highlighted or marked in recruiting systems for containing those keywords,” explains Mensing.
The most important thing you should keep in mind about using keywords is to read the job posting carefully and pick out those words that stand out among the rest. Just don’t avoid going overboard with keywords rather, keep an eye out for awkward phrasing or repetition.
Be consistent in your writing and formatting
It sure can be distracting to see a resume that is inconsistently written, isn’t it?
“Formatting errors drive me nuts,” says McBride. “So many people do not align subtitles, bullet points, and text. In one part of the resume a title will be centered, while in another section it’s aligned to the left, and often indentations do not line up properly.”
The same goes for your writing; if you choose to describe your current position in the present tense, and prior positions in the past tense, that’s fine, but it has to be done consistently.
THE DON’TS OF RESUME WRITING
Including irrelevant or damaging information in your resume
As I have already emphasized above, your resume should only bear relevant and positive information.
Career coach and author Lavie Margolin says job seekers don’t need to share personal family information like marital status or number of children, and jobs that occurred more than 20 years or that lasted only a few months should also be left out.
“Your resume is a marketing piece as opposed to a work history,” he explains.
Things like history of incarceration or controversial political or religious leanings that have nothing to do with the job should never be included.
“Provide this information if and when necessary on a job application but leave it off the resume,” advises Margolin.
Providing an out-of-date contact information
It’s funny sometimes that this section of the resume is frequently overlooked when this is one of the most important parts of your application.
“Applicants sometimes leave their contact information off their resumes and/or cover letters,” says McBride. “Having contact info on every page of your application makes things easier for the hiring manager, plus it makes contacting the applicant for an interview a breeze,” she says.
You should make it a point to double check all of your contact information especially your up-to-date phone number and email address. Employers just won’t spend their precious time trying to track you down.
Using an unprofessional email address
Many job seekers fail to think about what kind of image their email address is portraying to a prospective employer.
“Non-professional email addresses such as “jessicarabbit4real@” should not be on a resume,” says Margolin.
You should create an email address with just a combination of your first and last name, and if necessary a number or two.
Using an objective instead of professional summary
Kandi Mensing notes that objectives are often vague and limiting. Instead she suggests highlighting your education or having a “skills and attributes” section that contains keywords that are relevant to the position you are applying for.
Using vague and flowery language
You should never use big words and purple prose just to fill space or make your qualifications sound better than they are.
“Sometimes the language in some of the job description bullet points is so vague and/or complex that I have no idea what the candidate has done during their career - let alone whether or not it’s applicable to my company,” says Morgan McBride.
You should use clear and precise language that conveys what you are trying to say without letting the readers getting bored.
Now that you have everything you need to know about resume writing, you should be able to write your own impressive resume which will open doors for you to get hired on your dream job. Unless otherwise you still find it difficult or confusing to write a perfect resume, you can surely make use of a professional resume writing services such as Cheapest Essay. Their professional resume writers are honed with advanced writing skills to help their clients with all their writing needs. Should you need any more help with your resume, kindly follow this link.
We always aim to deliver great articles to our valued readers so always check our blog for more great articles coming soon.
Comments
Post a Comment