If you’re looking for a job, then you need to have an amazing resume. This is your opportunity to showcase how great of a candidate you are and why you deserve the position. How do you make an amazing resume? There’s no one-size-fits-all answer, but here are some tips that will help guide your efforts:
Keep it Simple: The best resumes are those that tell the potential employer what they want in just a few words. Your goal should be to get someone interested enough in reading more about your qualifications without overwhelming them with information at first glance. That being said, don’t leave anything out either! If there is something relevant from your experience or education that can give insight into your skills or work ethic, then definitely include it.
How long should a resume be?
You want to make sure that yours is short and concise. Don’t leave anything out—include everything! But also know when information just isn’t necessary. If something doesn’t seem like it would add any value to your application then take it off and keep things as simple as possible. It’s recommended to keep your resume to 1 page unless you’re applying to an executive role. If that’s the case, then 2 pages are sufficient. Focusing on quantitative results and accomplishments is a great way to impress potential employers. Did you hit or exceed your quotas? Did you generate tons of accounts for your company?
Steps to making an Amazing resume
Decide on a format that will effectively showcase your skills and experience. Be sure to select a professional font and font size that doesn’t exceed 10-14pt (Except for headers). Set your margins between .5″ and 1″ all around.
- Put your name at the top along with your contact information. It’s important to have your phone number, e-mail address, address, LinkedIn profile and/or portfolio URL if possible.
- The most common format is the reverse chronological order of your work history. Include your job title, company name, dates you worked there in month and year, as well as location. Focus on skills that pertain to the job that you are applying for.
- Use bullet points to highlight your accomplishments. Use strong verbs and avoid using them repetitively. Keep it to one or two lines while keeping things concise.
- Look at the job descriptions of industries that you’re applying to. Incorporate keywords into your resume to help your resume get picked up by your potential employer’s resume scanner software. Keep it truthful, you don’t want to be embarrassed at your job interview!
- Review once and then again and again. Ensure that your resume has no grammatical errors. Have a friend review your resume and give you feedback. Other eyes on your resume will catch things that you may have overlooked.
Make your resume stand out
Make it easy for them to find the information they want without having to scroll or dig at first glance! Keep your resume clean, visually appealing, and with as many relevant accomplishments as possible. You can always expand on certain things in an interview but if your resume is hard to read…you won’t get that opportunity.
Make an outstanding Cover Letter
Use a conversational writing tone that conveys your personality. Explain how you’re passionate about the company with a quick story or example of how the combination of your skills and experience will add value to the company. Let them know that hiring you will be the best decision they ever make.
If you have no job experience use what you’ve got!
You can leverage your education, skills that you learned, volunteer work, extracurricular activities, and/or certifications. Often, a company will take a chance on someone they can “mold” into their model employee.
Employment gaps
While some hiring managers see employment gaps as a red flag, there may be completely valid reasons why someone has not worked a full-time job. Don’t let an employment gap make you feel less valuable when compared to other job candidates. If the issue comes up, explain honestly the value that the gap provided you. You can explain how you used that time to learn a new skill or take care of your family.
This was just a concise guide on how to make an amazing, stand-out resume. Make sure you include all of your skills and experience that relate to the job you’re applying for so that it’s easy for them to find what they want without having to get a mountain of text! Make sure your layout is clean and professional with as many relevant accomplishments as possible while keeping everything truthful. Make an outstanding cover letter by including examples or stories about why hiring you will be their best decision ever made. If there are any gaps in employment history explain honestly during interviews – don’t let these gaps hold you back from trying out new opportunities! Good luck!
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