Finding the right person for a job is usually a difficult task for employers. It takes a lot of time to sift through potential candidates who may number into hundreds or more.
If they pick the wrong person, it could hurt the business in many ways beyond just finances. This has caused the job screening process to be something employers take very seriously. And it has become increasingly difficult to make oneself stand out.
That’s where your resume comes into play. This document would give the employer insight into your potential as a job candidate and as a person.
It helps your employer get a glimpse of who you are, what you know, what makes you stand out and why you are a good fit for the job you are applying for.
Your aim should be to ensure that your resume makes it as easy as possible for your employer to learn all of these.
How to Proceed
There are many ways for creating a resume, and suggestions will differ from person to person. Also, some industries have their own set requirement for resumes. However, there are some key steps that would help you set up a generally acceptable resume.
First, endeavor to make use of a resume format that is simple, easy to read and understand. Remember, employers are primarily interested in what your resume tells them about you and not how stylish or fanciful it appears.
- Avoid using jargon in your writing.
- Avoid using unusual font styles or sizes.
- Avoid using different colours.
- Avoid including images unless it is requested.
Qualities of Your Resume
Accuracy
Accountability
Detail
Objective
Proofread your work and check for any grammar mistakes or spelling errors. Check for consistency in date formats, font styles, hyphens, dashes and spaces. How well you write up your work will go a long way to show that you do pay attention to detail and that you really are interested in your application and in the job you are applying for.
Note
The exact format of your resume may differ, depending on the industry you are in. However, keep the length of your resume to a maximum of 2 pages. If you can clearly fit all the relevant details into a single page, that’s still okay.
Sections of Your Resume
Your resume should include distinct sections for education, personal interests, work experience, and honors too. Though your work experience will likely take up a larger portion, all the other sections are also important.
1. Education Section
In this section, include any form of tertiary education you have had, including your degree, graduation month and year, grade point average (if you left school recently or are currently in school) and any relevant coursework and skills.
2. Activities Section
This section should contain any internships, research opportunities, apprenticeships, clubs, and projects that you’ve actively participated in. Briefly highlight the role(s) you played and what outcomes were achieved in each case.
Honors and Hobbies
3. Honors and Awards Section
Here you can list any academic awards you have received.
You can also include any presentations, publications or public speaking engagements that you have done.
4. Personal Interest Section
List any interests or hobbies that are important to you.
These could include activities like skiing, skateboarding, biking or playing the piano, even if they are not related to your work or education.
5. Work Experience Section
This section should be the most detailed. For each role, list your employer, the date of employment and your position.
Emphasize the results you accomplished on the job rather than on the tasks you performed.
Identify some setbacks you faced and the actions you took to tackle them, and what resulted.
Add relevant details. For instance, if you were the team lead for a project, say so and go further to identify what the project was, how many persons were on the team and how successful the project turned out to be.
Work Profile
As you detail your work experience, discuss how you fit into the projects. Did you plan, develop or analyze them? What tools or software did you use? Did you have to implement any special skills? And are those skills applicable to the current job you’re applying for?
Remember, you should try to make sure that the points you include are in some way relevant to the job you’re applying for.
Do well to also make sure that you’re representing your work consistently online and elsewhere.
Many employers often utilize sites like LinkedIn to select potential job candidates, so make sure that the information they find on those sites correspond reasonably with what you have presented on your resume.
It’s okay to share different versions of your resume with employers, but be certain that the basic timelines and dates of your work experience remain consistent on all fronts.
You’re Done!
The following are a summary/list of all the relevant details for your resume. Make sure each one of them is included.
- Personal interests
- Transferrable skills
- A specific objective
- Honours and awards
- Quantifiable measurements
- Activities and hobbies
- Education
- Work experience
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