Applying for a new job? You need a bulletproof job resume! This step-by-step guide will help you write a strong, professional resume for your job search.
A solid resume is the most important thing you can prepare when getting ready for your job search. It can make all the difference in how many interviews you land in the end.
Writing a strong resume is particularly important if you are still studying or have just graduated college and don’t have much work experience yet. If you already use professional essay writers from essayservice.com to get help with your assignments, we recommend having them proofread or even write your resume for you as well.
It’s time you make your resume completely undeniable.
You want as many employers as possible to see what you bring to the table, but that won’t happen if they reject your resume for small mistakes. With these tips, you’re guaranteed to write a bulletproof job resume that can’t lose.
Keep the Format Simple
Make sure your resume is clean and easy to read. For that you can get help from somewhere like ARC Resumes Texas.
Don’t clutter the page with unnecessary elements like pictures or graphics. They don’t have a place in a professional setting and will likely put your resume out of the running.
No matter how much content you’re trying to fit on the page, keep the font readable. Shrinking it down won’t do you any favors.
And make sure you use the same font throughout the entire resume.
In case you didn’t know, certain fonts read better on computer screens, while others read better on paper.
For paper resumes, use a serif font, like:
- Times New Roman
- Georgia
- Bookman Old Style
For electronic resumes, use a sans serif font, such as
- Arial
- Helvetica
- Calibri
You want your resume to be easy to look at and understand. Make it as readable as possible for your potential employers.
The Three Major Resume Formats
As for the layout of your resume, there are three formats that you can choose from. Each format is tailored to different needs, so choose yours accordingly.
Here are the basics of each format:
Chronological – Starts with your most recent or current job and goes backward in chronological order, putting the focus on your job experience. The most common format.
Functional – Places the focus on your skills. Great for getting into a new industry where you have no experience, applying for your first job out of college, or if you have gaps in your job history.
Combination – Splits the space to put both work history and skills in focus, blending the two styles.
Don’t Overdo Your Summary
The last thing anyone wants to see when they first look at your resume is a big wall of text looming right at the top.
No one wants to read through that. They don’t have the time.
Keep your summary short and sweet. Make sure to tell them what you can do for them rather than resorting to overused phrases such as “eager, results-focused professional.” That doesn’t actually say anything about you.
Pick a job title for yourself and stick to it. These are things like “healthcare professional” and “software developer.”
Pull the job title right from the job listing if it suits you.
Use your summary to highlight what makes you qualified for this job. Be specific. You can even format your summary in bullet points to make it easier to skim than a paragraph.
Just make sure you still use full sentences.
Focus on Your Accomplishments
Your accomplishments are the entire point of making a resume. You want to show off what you’ve done and why that makes you the best person to fill an open job.
Skip the generic responsibilities and get as specific as you can.
Numbers are your best friend on this front. Show your growth in dollars and cents. Talk about how much revenue you generated for your last employer. Use percentages to show off how much business you can bring in.
When writing about your accomplishments, always begin with an action verb.
Getting straight to the action picks up the tone of the overall resume while keeping it short and readable. A few examples of verbs you can use are managed, lead, advanced, and engineered.
Customize It
Using one resume for every job application just isn’t going to work. If it’s generic enough to fit all those job listings, it’ll seem like you’re okay taking any old job.
That’s not what you want. Show them that you want this job.
Do your research into the company and the position you’re applying for. Be as thorough as possible so you have enough details to work with.
Customize your resume to match each of the job listings you apply to.
They don’t have to be totally different, but they should each highlight the skills and accomplishments relevant to the job. Make sure each recipient sees what you want them to see.
Keep It Concise
Don’t go overboard on any one section of your resume.
We already talked about keeping your summary short and to the point. The same can be said for your work experience. Make sure you keep them between three and five bullet points each.
Some people claim there is one perfect length for your resume, but there really is no hard and fast rule here.
If you’re able to keep everything on a single page, great! But you absolutely shouldn’t start cutting out important things just to fit it all in. And don’t shrink the font to squeeze it in, either. That just makes it harder to read.
It’s not the end of the world if your resume is longer than one page.
On the other hand, don’t add a bunch of superfluous information to stretch it out because you heard longer resumes are better. Keep it under two pages if possible.
Include All Contact Information
Correct contact information is essential on your resume.
How else are they going to contact you for an interview?
One thing you need to think about is your email address. It should sound professional. You might be surprised to learn that a lot of resumes get thrown out due to unprofessional email addresses.
When you’ve already done that, make sure you use a service that provides more profile views, endorsements, connection requests and more so you can grow on LinkedIn while you’re sleeping. There is a Meet Alfred review found on Earthweb that you might find very useful in this regard.
Your LinkedIn shouldn’t just be a carbon copy of your resume. That looks lazy and definitely won’t impress anyone, so make sure you don’t just copy and paste everything from one to the other.
Check Everything Again
When you’re sure you’re done, review your resume for any little mistakes. Something as small as a typo could be the reason it gets thrown out.
Make sure all your t’s are crossed and i’s are dotted.
After you’ve read it over a few times, ask someone else to do the same. Get a friend or family member you trust to go over it and ask for honest feedback from someone in the professional world.
If you’re worried they won’t take the job seriously, add in an intentional mistake to see if they catch it.
You truly can’t have too many eyes on your resume.
In Conclusion
With a resume that shines, your job search will be so much easier. You can easily showcase your strong points and show exactly why you’re the best choice above all the rest.
Take the time to implement these tips to create a bulletproof job resume before you start sending out applications. Then, you just have to sit back and wait for the calls to come rolling in.
Author Bio:
Adam Marshall is a freelance writer who specializes in all things apartment organization, real estate, and college advice. He currently works with Grove at Waco to help them with their online marketing.
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