Resume tips

What is a resume?

The process of writing a resume for your job search can certainly be daunting if you’ve never done it before or you’ve never had any help doing so. Most of us aren’t professional resume writers, but hiring managers will expect a solid resume out of you regardless.

The importance of a resume lies in its ability to showcase your qualifications and skills to a potential employer in a clear and concise manner. A well-written resume can help you stand out from other candidates and increase your chances of getting an interview.

Resumes are often the first impression an employer has of a candidate, so it is important to make sure that it is well-written, error-free, and tailored to the specific job you are applying for. A resume should be easy to read and highlight your most relevant qualifications and experiences.

Additionally, a resume is a representation of you as a professional and it can showcase your capabilities, achievements, and experience. It's important to tailor your resume to the specific job you are applying for in order to show how your qualifications and experience match the requirements of the position.

In summary, a resume is an essential tool for job seeking and it is important to create a professional, well-written resume that highlights your qualifications and skills and make you stand out from the competition.

These details below should be included in your resume.

• Resume contact information, including phone number and email address, as well as links to professional profiles such as LinkedIn.

• A summary statement, containing 2-3 sentences showcasing your background and top qualifications.

• List of your relevant skills. This both soft and hard skills.

• Details on past work experience (including internships)

• Certifications, especially in your industry and those required to perform the job.

• Education section, including your school, major, graduation date and bachelors/honors. (Only include your high school diploma if you have no college experience).

Why is having a good resume relevant?

Unless you’re applying for a job that requires more than ten years of experience, you should limit your resume to a single page. Hiring managers will typically look at your resume for less than 10 seconds before deciding if you’re a good fit or not, so you need to make your document easy to scan. Cover letters, recommenders, and professional websites come later.

Recruiters want to review the highlights of your career. If your resume is well-written, they see your job history at its finest.

So how can you make your resume stand out?

You should:

• Use simple formatting. Recruiters will scan your resume quickly. If the formatting is overly complex, they might put it down. Carefully balance font style, font size, layout, and design. Use bullet points and bold headings to break up the text.

• Place an overview or mission statement at the top. Your most important information should be at the top of your resume. An overview at the top gives your recruiter a good sense of you right away.

• Include both hard and soft skills. Today’s recruiters aren’t just looking for hard skills. They want to be sure that you can thrive in their offices, too. Depending on the job you’re applying for, include a mixture of both hard and soft skills.

• Show results where you can. Don’t just mention your capabilities. You’ll need to show results, too. Include numbers where you can, and give small, telling details that show how you have helped projects succeed.

• Leave off what you can. Packed resumes often look disorganized. Include what is relevant to the role you’re applying for. You can leave off items like your mailing address and social media accounts, too, unless they’re necessary.

• Be consistent with your design and text. To help make your resume clear, ensure your colors and fonts are consistent. If you use specific tactics in formatting, like bullet points or sentence fragments, stay consistent throughout.

• Get creative. If you work in a creative field, experiment with design and presentation. If you don’t work in a creative field, you can still get creative with your text. Think of ways to reword items to exemplify their challenges and how you overcame them.

• Keep it to one page. Recruiters expect a one-page resume. While this can be a hurdle, it’s also a good thing. One-page forces you to focus on the aspects of your history and present skills that matter.

• Proofread. Finally, you’ll need to proofread. Grammar and spelling errors can make your resume look unprofessional. It can help to read your resume out loud. You might even want to put your resume away for a day and come back to it later with fresh eyes.

Should you ever pay for resume help?

There are various businesses and freelancers who will write your resume for a fee.

If you are extremely stressed out about your resume and have absolutely no idea where it should start, this can be a good option. It might help your anxiety to know that a professional is in charge. Plus, your resume writer will certainly write you a relevant, clear resume.

However, if you pay someone to write your resume:

• It will cost you

• The finished product might seem clichéd

• It will be difficult for them to reflect your personality

• Your writing at a later stage (cover letter, emails, thank you note, etc.) might seem obviously different.