Considering how important the resume is when job searching, it’s amazing that so many applicants don’t know how to write a great one. In fact, this is one of the reasons why so many qualified applicants get passed over for positions they would have been perfect for. The resume is your opportunity to provide an overview of all your experience and skills so the potential employer can see that you’re an excellent candidate for the job.
When you produce a great resume, you’ll get the attention you need to possibly land that interview which puts you one step closer to the getting the job. Taking the time to learn the key qualities that make a great resume and applying them will pay off in the end. Since this is your first step in making a good impression on a potential employer, you need to do it right.
5 tips for writing a great resume that will get you noticed:
1. Research the Company – If you’re serious about the position then you should take the time to learn all you can about the company and the position available. You can write a better resume when you have all the information. This will help you tailor your experience and job training to revolve around the qualifications needed for the position available.
2. Be Thorough – Fill out all of the necessary information and don’t leave gaps in your unemployment history. If you were unemployed for awhile, provide an explanation. Provide your name, contact information, education and any training relevant to the job position you’re applying for in your resume.
3. Choose the Right Format – Your format is more important than you might think. It should be professional looking with neat clean lines. Use an easy to read font, 12 is a good choice for size and keep it simple. It should be limited to one page if possible but it should never exceed two pages. If you get too long the employer may start to get bored and lose interest.
4. Tailor Your Information – You want to include all information that is relevant to the position that you’re applying for. Highlight the special skills that show you have the qualifications needed to be an asset to the company.
5. Use Accomplishments to List Your Experience – The best way to show you have experience in a certain area is by listing your accomplishments. Anyone can list the responsibilities and tasks they dealt with on a job but showing what you achieved and talking about your accomplishments is much more impressive.
This should be obvious when writing a great resume but always write professionally, stick to the point and be honest. Anything less is unacceptable and can cause serious problems later on. Many applicants have a tendency to stretch the truth to make a good impression. However, when you’re asked to explain something you don’t really understand or show proof that you have specific skills and you can’t, you’ll certainly lose any edge you may have had very quickly.
Proofread you resume two or three times and then have someone else read it to look for anything you may have missed. You do not want to turn in a resume with spelling mistakes and grammatical errors. Some employers will discard a resume as soon as they see mistakes of this nature. Following these tips for writing a great resume can help you gain an edge over the competition.