What is a Resume?
A resume is also commonly called a CV which stands for “curriculum vitae”. The word ‘resume’ is usually used in the US and UK for the CV. Most of the time both words are used so do not get confused by either of them.
A resume shows the skills, education, and experience of any past jobs of the applicant. Along with a resume, employers ask the relevant questions in the interview. Based on this information, employers judge your potential and make a decision if you are the right fit for the job.
Sometimes a cover letter is also required from the applicant’s side. There is no particular format that is followed to write a resume but some basic information is expected to be included in the resume.
Why Does Your Resume Need to be Top-Notch?
A resume is your first impression. It gives a hint of what you are capable of. It shows your skills and achievement and what you’re aiming to accomplish in the future. Almost every job requires some type of resume from its applicants.
Therefore, it is a must-have document in your possession because job vacancies have often appeared unexpectedly. A resume should be edited and polished every now and then according to new experiences and skills that you can gain as time goes by.
How to Write a Stunning Resume for Your Job?
You can land your dream job through an excellent resume. Sometimes, applicants underestimate the importance of a good resume. Here are a few steps that can be followed to write a document that can leave a positive impact on your employer.
- Do not exaggerate your resume. A recruiter can always catch a lie. Be specific and to the point and avoid jargon.
- Overused phrases should be avoided. This can make the look of the resume very generic.
- Bad grammar is a big turn-off. An excellent resume is free from any grammatical mistakes. Use any good grammar checker tool to check your CV once you’re done writing it.
- The email address of the applicant included in the CV should sound professional. If your email address is unprofessional then make a new account to add to your resume
- Do not make one CV and send it to different recruiters. Rather, write a specific resume for a specific job. Every job has different requirements for its applicants. You have to decide what type of resume is best in a certain situation. It can be an academic, chronological, or skill-based CV.
- While sending your resume online to your employer, do not include the home address to avoid any fraudulent cases.
- A good trick to draw attention to your personal profile is to always include a cover letter. Of course, you do not need to do it if the employer says otherwise. You can write a cover letter using an online editpad and then just copy it over to your actual CV document.
- Proofread the resume to final check it. Humans are bound to make mistakes. A simple spelling mistake can cost you a good job opportunity. Grammar checkers tools can be a lifesaver in this situation.
- Do not overuse personal pronouns. They can be such a huge turn-off for the recruiter.
- You do not need to include the reasons for leaving your old job. This can be clarified in the interview if this subject comes up in the conversation.
- Do not need to start describing any gap in the education or career. This can be explained in the interview upon asking.
What are the Constituents of a Good Resume?
Now that you know the dos and don’ts of a resume, here are the main components of a resume that should be written in every good CV.
Profile
The profile should be a summary of all the attributes of the applicants. It should be written in a way that makes you stand out among the crowd of all applicants.
It should be written at the beginning of the resume and must include a general introduction of the applicant. The personal profile should be short and to the point. A profile of 100 words is more than enough.
Contact details
Contact details should have your name, email address, and contact number. The contact details are one of the main things that the recruiter will see in your resume.
Some applicants add the date of birth as well. This information is irrelevant unless you are applying for a job that has the age limit required.
Work experience
While writing the work experience, it is important to always write in reverse order. Make sure to include the most relevant work experience in the resume.
This is the most needed detail about you for your employer. Write your job title, name of the particular organization, and duration for how long you have worked there. If you have multiple work experiences and this section is lengthy then write the work experience before education.
Education
Make a list of previous education with qualifications and specializations in any field. Write the most recent ones first and do not forget to include the grades and dates.
Skills and achievements
This section is about all the skills and abilities. You can write about any specific software skills that you acquired in the past. Multiple job-specific skills can be included in the skill-based resume. You should not brag about any skill that you don’t have since every claim needs to be backed up in the interview.
Interests
Here, you can write about your hobbies and personal interests. This can be anything from “socializing” to “reading books”. Anything that can catch the eye of a recruiter is a good option to include in the resume. This part can give you a chance to talk about something in the interview. You can leave this section out if you do not have any relevant hobbies and interests. This is not necessary to write in the CV.
References
In the end, references can be included in the resume. If it is requested in the job requirement then include the name and contact details of the referee.
If this is not the case, then just write “references will be provided upon request”. Most recruiters assume that this would be the case so this section can be excluded if you are running out of space.
What is the Standard Format of a Resume?
There is no standard format for the CV but it should be as such that it is easy on the eyes. The standard size of a CV should be not more than 2 pages of A4 size. Although this is a standard rule of it, you can adjust it according to the situation at hand.
For example, a fresh graduate may only need a one-page resume. Whereas a higher level professional may need to extend it to 3 pages with all the details of previous experiences and your skills. A good trick to save space is recommended to only include the main points and not repeat anything that is written.
If you are having difficulty editing the resume, then try reading it from a third-person perspective and see if any information feels irrelevant. Delete anything that does not sit well with the job requirement.
Don’t Title Your Resume
First, your recruiter knows what this document is about, so do not make it obvious by titling the document as “Curriculum vitae” or CV.
Font
The overall font of the resume should be easy on the eyes. The font style should be professional, clear, and easy to read.
You can try Calibri, Arial, and Cambria. Times New Roman is also used in resumes. Font size should also be between 10 to 12. Make sure that all sizes and styles are consistent throughout the document.
Make Good Use of Bullet Points
Having bullets make the document easy to read. This way, employers can skip to the important details.
List Everything in Reverse Chronological Order
Writing in reverse order makes everything easy for recruitment. They can see your recent degree and recent qualifications first.
Name the Document
This suggestion applies to every document on your computer. Do not save anything just by “Document 1”. Save it with a title like “John Doe-CV” etc. If you are required to send a hard copy of the resume, print it on A4 paper and then post it.
If the cover letter is required along with your resume then make sure to write it as well. The cover letter is different from the resume. Always send your resume as a PDF unless it says in the requirement that they need the Word document.
Conclusion
Above is all the information that you might need as an applicant to write a good resume. A good resume is a specific, concise and clear piece of document that urges the recruiters to call you for an interview. It should include your relevant education, qualifications, and skills. A resume should depict what you are capable of and what you can accomplish in the future.
As a person looking for a job, you should always have a good resume on hand to send to your employer because job opportunities turn up unexpectedly. Make good use of all the above-mentioned tips to create a killer resume that compels the recruiters to invite you.