Employers don’t only expect a lengthy experience and skills list.
They also expect clarity and organization in how you present yourself, which means that you should follow a certain format of what a professional resume looks like.
Make the Effort
Do not underestimate the importance of a carefully written resume – read up on what a resume in your career area should look like to present yourself in the optimal way.
So, what does a good resume look like?
Basically, a good resume conforms to a certain standard while highlighting what is most relevant and unique about you.
This article provides a comprehensive guide to creating a professional resume from scratch.
Continue reading.
Resume Building 101
How Does a Resume Look Like?
In general, resumes have several sections that outline your qualifications and former background in a way that employers can observe your competencies match to the job requirements.
First Things First – Resume Formats
There are three standard resume formats. Choose one:
- The chronological resume.
- The functional resume.
- The combination resume.
A) The Chronological format outlines your work history.
It highlights your progress and professional growth over time. This chronology helps you to separate and emphasize the jobs you have held at different companies or in various positions, especially advancements you’ve made in your career.
B) The Functional format focuses on your achievements.
Instead of a history of your past jobs, it talks about concrete accomplishments (problem + your solution). It’s good if you have held only a few positions but held an active and instrumental role within them.
C) The Combination format combines a chronological outline with an outline of accomplishments.
You will need to be more concise but will be able to mention the best of both, leaving the rest for the interview.
How to Begin: Law and Order
- It’s best to begin with personal/contact info: Name, address, phones and email.
- Follow right away with a concise objective statement.
- Then, based on one of the three previously mentioned formats, follow a record of your education and any relevant professional training in your career outline.
- Add any important or impressive skills or qualifications which you did not mention in your career outline. You can list the languages you know (mention level), as well as personal attributes (detail oriented, leadership…) and interests which enhance your image as a successful person and professional.
- Any references you might list should come last.
The Resume Look and Feel – Use Headings in a Resume
To make your resume easier to look through, use headings for every section –
- Personal Information
- Objective Statement
- Education and Training
- Experience/Work History/Accomplishments
- Languages
- Personal Attributes/Interests
- References
Crafting the Perfect Resume Draft – A Step-by-Step Guide
If you start your resume from scratch, it would be wise to create a first draft of a resume.
The first draft doesn’t have to be formatted as a resume, but more of a data base of which you later can copy edited paragraphs and past onto the final resume version.
Here are suggested sections for this draft:
1. Job target
Make a list of the requirements per the jobs you are aiming for – Skills, qualifications, and job description. You will need this information for targeting your resume to the job you’re applying for.
2. Experience
Make a List of your previous jobs. Starting for the latest jobs, include jobs dates (year to year, no need of months), awards, promotions, duties, responsibilities, and projects. Use action verbs to describe your accomplishments. Use keywords to detail your professional expertise.
3. Education/qualification
List your educational degrees, institutions (colleges and universities), date of graduation. You may also consider including professional courses and training sessions related to the jobs in target if you find it necessary.
4. Achievements
List your career achievements. Try to highlight 4-10 achievements that may fit well with your next position.
5. Resume Objective Statement
Take notes of paragraphs that you may consider when stating the objectives.
6. Career Summary
Prepare a summary of your career and your major competencies. Take notes of career summaries written in resume examples. This paragraph should summarize relevant job experience and skill sets and those major abilities that you feel are important for the next job.
7. Your contact details
Include your full name, address, phone and cell phone numbers and a private email address made for your job search.
Do not provide the email address that you have in your current job.
How to Outline your Resume
The resume must be easy to read and follow. Take some examples of resume formats and save for future use.
Here is an example of a resume outline:
Contact details
Name
Address: Street, City, State, Zip
Phone (Home and Cell, 2 numbers to list)
Email Address (it is recommended to use your name as an email address, for example yourname @ gmail.com)
Career summary (optional)
List you major professional skills and expertise with # of years of experience.
Objective (optional)
Focus your statement to the position you’re aiming for – What you are seeking.
Hint about your advantages and the benefits you’d bring to the position and the company.
Education
List educational degrees and institutions you’ve graduated.
List related professional courses and Certifications received.
Training you’ve participated relevant to the position under target.
Experience
List your experience background in reversed order from the recent to oldest.
List job title, company name, location, & employment dates (years).
Use action verbs as an active, expressive way to describe your job duties and achievements.
Major achievement
List major achievements per job and also include professional skills developed or promotions/appraisals you’ve received.
Key Skills
Related Competencies that you feel important to the position you are seeking.
Computer skills and/or technological skills – software program or hardware.
Languages
References
Consider including 3 names and contact details of references.
5 Tips on Creating a Resume
- Format each section in your resume in the same way. Use familiar fonts – arial or times new roman. Write your resume in MS word document – recommended MS word2003.
- Within each position: Write about accomplishments using action verbs rather than listing job duties. Accomplishments are eye catchy and impressive.
- Use of keywords: Recruiters store resumes in their database. For finding certain expertise, they scan resumes using software. The software search keywords within resumes. Therefore, make use of keywords to describe your skills.
- Use “action verbs” describing your achievements, qualifications, and personal attributes. They will give more force to your presentation and suggest initiative and confidence.
- Use plain, white paper and a single, legible font throughout, with headings enlarged or in bold.