A good resume leaves you one step away from a huge paycheck. However, writing it might be more complicated than one anticipated. Let’s discover more about the process of creating a wonderful resume in this complete guide.
What is the definition of the term?
First of all, we should define what it is not. A resume is not a list of your job history. Neither it’s a list of skills. Also, it never means you’ll get the post you wish.
You’d better view a resume as an ad. The advertisement of you. So, advertise yourself well enough to be hired. Look at your resume as a marketing tool.
Easy steps to making the best resume
The first step is to pick one of the three formats. So, you open your blank document and think about which way to start. You can narrow down the possibilities to three formats: reverse-chronological, functional or combination. There is no best choice here. Each of them has pros and cons. You must pick the one you prefer or find more logical for your position.
Elements of a good resume:
- Contact information;
- Career objectives;
- Work experience;
- Additional skills;
- Education;
- Awards & honors.
Depending on the model you pick above you must dedicate more space to certain elements. For instance, in the reverse-chronological method, you’d better have a long list of work history. The functional model devoted more space to the relevant skills for an applied post.
The second step is to add contact information properly. It must include the following elements:
- Name;
- Mailing address;
- Phone number;
- Email address;
- Link to the portfolio (if any);
- LinkedIn profile link.
Remember, that some companies have been paying more attention to the employee’s social media. Double-check your profiles won’t affect the employer’s reputation and be ready to share the links to them as well.
The third step is the introduction. There are 4 main choices in this case. They are the resume objective, the summary of qualifications, the resume profile, and the resume summary. The introduction is used to attract the attention of a person reading your file. Make your point clear and brief.
The fourth step is to highlight the relevant work experience. It’s the essence of your resume. So, add the experience you must share and make up to five short bullet points for each one.
Next, create a professional education section. In case you lack experience, switch the sections and devote more space to information about your education. It must include the name(s) of your universities, colleges, technical schools, their locations. Mention the year of graduation, degree(s), and GPA.
After that, you must add a list of hard and soft skills. Remember, only relevant for the position.
Finally, add key certifications, awards, and honors you received. They are going to make your resume stronger and more appealing to the employer. For example, you could add grants, academic honors, volunteer positions, etc.
The last tip is to pick a unified font, size, strategic lines, etc. Add some style to make it look good.