"You only get one chance to make a first impression." In the professional world, that first chance is your resume. I have seen hundreds of resumes and it is still shocking to me, that most resumes look like some dreaded homework essay that no one wants to write or read. Resumes are an important tool for landing the job you deserve. They are easy to write and easy to make stand out. Here are some tips to help you with your resume writing process.
Grammar, spelling, punctuation - Use the grammar and spell check function, then print it out and read the document word for word. Spell checker doesn't know that you meant "manager" when you actually typed "manger".
Use the right language - The cover letter can tell a quick story that lets the reader know about your personality and the rest of the resume can showcase your skills and experience, but don't forget to pepper in the right language. Use the occasional industry term to indicate to the hiring manager that you are experienced in the industry.
Keep it short - Writing a resume is much like writing sales copy. When you do it correctly, it shouldn't take many words to convey your ideas. Most people advise that you not write more than 2 pages. I, personally, never go past 1 page. Most of the page is just lists. I believe that you should keep your resume down to around 10 sentences and a few lists.
Feature the highlights - The worst resumes that I have seen are from people who feel the need to list every event in their career. This makes the resume long and boring. The idea is to keep it short and only showcase the career highlights. No one cares about the small jobs you took on between the bigger jobs. Just list the big events and jobs where you learned a skill or changed your professional outlook.
Use more action verbs: supervised, organized, learned, contributed, etc. The freshers in the industry can highlight their responsibilities at the college/school level.
Whatever you do, don't blend in to the rest of the resumes on the stack. Use powerful language, color, and stories to stand out. Trust me, the person reading it does not care too much about exact dates and section headings. Tell them a story and appeal to their senses, interests, or whatever you can. Strike a chord with them and they will strike a deal with you.
Grammar, spelling, punctuation - Use the grammar and spell check function, then print it out and read the document word for word. Spell checker doesn't know that you meant "manager" when you actually typed "manger".
Use the right language - The cover letter can tell a quick story that lets the reader know about your personality and the rest of the resume can showcase your skills and experience, but don't forget to pepper in the right language. Use the occasional industry term to indicate to the hiring manager that you are experienced in the industry.
Keep it short - Writing a resume is much like writing sales copy. When you do it correctly, it shouldn't take many words to convey your ideas. Most people advise that you not write more than 2 pages. I, personally, never go past 1 page. Most of the page is just lists. I believe that you should keep your resume down to around 10 sentences and a few lists.
Feature the highlights - The worst resumes that I have seen are from people who feel the need to list every event in their career. This makes the resume long and boring. The idea is to keep it short and only showcase the career highlights. No one cares about the small jobs you took on between the bigger jobs. Just list the big events and jobs where you learned a skill or changed your professional outlook.
Use more action verbs: supervised, organized, learned, contributed, etc. The freshers in the industry can highlight their responsibilities at the college/school level.
Whatever you do, don't blend in to the rest of the resumes on the stack. Use powerful language, color, and stories to stand out. Trust me, the person reading it does not care too much about exact dates and section headings. Tell them a story and appeal to their senses, interests, or whatever you can. Strike a chord with them and they will strike a deal with you.
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Be sure to visit Raleigh Resume Service for help with your resume or Go Narrow Media for your video production needs.
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