The biggest roadblock while searching for a job is getting your resume ready. Despite being only of a page or two in length a resume is the most powerful tool in the telling your professional history to your potential employers.
Prior to applying for jobs in the United States, one should prepare an American style resume. A Resume is different than a CV or “Curriculum Vitae“.
How to write a Resume for a job?
The length of your resume should be limited to one page, single sided. Use 8.5 x 11 inch paper to create your resume with 0.5 – 1 inch margins on all sides since it’s considered as the standard size for the American resumes. Print your resume on a quality paper and it should be of the same color as your cover letter. Personal information such as age, gender, height, weight, marital status, photos, etc. should be avoided at all costs.
Instead of spaces make sure to align your tab with text so that all formatting remain consistent. Your work experience and education should be ordered chronologically with the most recent at the top. Include the names of all the post-secondary institutions you’ve attended along with the degree or certificate you’ve received, attendance dates and honors or awards you’ve received. If you’ve pursued any courses or projects relating to the job that you’re applying for then you must also mention them. Those with work experience, it is required for them to mention the name of the company or the organization and its location on the first line. And on the second line mention your title and department.
At the end include a short description of any special skills you possess such as knowledge of foreign languages or computer programs. Once you’ve crossed check and completed your own edits and corrections, save your resume as both a Word file and text only formats. Saving your resume as PDFs, when sending e-mail attachments, is a better option because of other formats having compatibility issues.
How to write a Cover Letter?
Along with your resume, a one page document is sent with your job application which is called a Cover Letter. The purpose of this is to introduce yourself and tell a potential employer why you’re perfect for the job.
- While writing a Cover letter, make sure to personalize it and always address it to a specific person.
- The opening paragraph should be inviting and personable. It should also display your skills which makes you perfect for the job.
- Highlight your past achievements.
- Point up your additional skills such as computer languages.
- Write a short summary of your strengths as a candidate and don’t forget to include your contact information.
How to write a Resume Objective?
Creating a meaningful objective or objective statement can be a most essential part of a resume. It can be used to show how the candidate’s skills and achievements can fruitfully transition into a new career field.
- Make it Specific with the position you’re applying for and your qualifications.
- Make it meaningful.
- Use proper grammar and spelling.
- Mention what you can do for the potential employer.
- Don’t make it overly long.
How to write a Resume Summary?
A resume summary statement is often considered as a “sales pitch” that is ready to go anytime you run into a potential employer and makes you immediately noticeable to hiring managers. These few sentences at the top of your resume highlight your qualifications.
- Start with a powerful statement saying who you are and what you do.
- Let the employer know what sort of value you will add to their company or organization. Mention what you’re capable of and also why is it important. Make it an “elevator speech.”
- Remember to keep it short but it should catch the desired attention.
In order to catch the eye of your recruiter it is important to not just have an impressive list of technical or hard skills but to have equally impressive interpersonal skills. Soft skills are today’s power skills.
Here’s a Awesome list of the Top 10 soft skills to put on resume
Resume Tips for College Students:
- Begin with a summary of your qualifications
- Typically education is mentioned at the bottom of a resume but as a student it is recommended to move your educational qualifications at the top.
- You’ve done any unrelated jobs such as any part-time, seasonal work which are unconnected with your future goals, make sure to mention them. The employer will consider this to determine your dependability and work ethic.
- It is essential to mention your educational experiences such as class projects, internships and volunteer activities.
- Add Keywords and buzzwords
- One page resume is long enough for college students.
- Get your resume reviewed by the professionals.
Common Resume Mistakes:
As they say, “Prevention is better than cure.” Here are the most common mistakes people make while writing a resume and how you can avoid them:
Typos and Grammatical Errors: Make sure to proofread your resume and check for any typos and grammatical errors before submitting.
Lack of Specifics: Employer needs to understand your accomplishments so don’t simply state the obvious.
Made up information: All the information you’ve provided in your resume about yourself should be 100% genuine and authentic.
Duties VS Accomplishments: Employers care about what you’ve accomplished and not about what you’ve done. Mention your accomplishments and not your job description.
Right amount of Information: Limit your resume to two pages at maximum. Don’t skip out on important information.
Incorrect Contact Information: If your contact information is wrong, your potential employers obviously won’t be able to contact you so double-check for these small details.
How to write a resume for the first time or How to write a resume with little experience?
It’s obviously a challenge for everyone to write a first professional resume. How are you going to convince your employer that you’re perfect for the job when you’ve no experience in your targeted field? Here are some resume tips and tricks:
- Emphasize your education first since you’ve no job experience.
- Mention your volunteer works, part-time jobs and freelance gigs.
- Look for keywords that tell you what your potential employer is looking for in a candidate.
- Lying on your resume is a bad idea. So keep it truthful
- Be consistent with formatting
- Include the correct contact information
A good resume can make or break your career. So, follow all the steps carefully and thoroughly cross check all the details before sending it out to your potential employers.