Securing a good job can be extremely difficult. A person may have the right qualifications and the right experience but still be passed over for another applicant. One thing that can certainly make a difference is a quality resume. To help, below are seven great tips for writing a resume.
1. The Most Important Things Should Come First
As can be expected from human nature, what is mentioned first in something tends to have more impact than what is mentioned last. In certain cases, an HR employee may not even finish reading most resumes. This should mean listing things like your most important work experience and skills before others that may be looked at as less valuable by that company.
2. Make Good Use of Negative Space
What many people don’t understand is that the amount of empty white space on a resume can also be important. This is the case for a few reasons. First, it gives the document a more attractive and professional appearance. Second, a resume jammed with wall to wall text can come off as either desperate or off-putting. While your resume must have content, you should remember that sometimes less is more.
3. Target the Employer’s Needs
Overly generic resumes are never that effective. Each position with each company is different. You should keep this in mind when developing a new draft of your resume. Instead of sending the same document to every company, try to edit the resume to address the needs of that employer. Always make sure to highlight specific skills that will be needed for the position you are applying for.
4. Keep the Design Simple but Effective
Some people may assume that colorful resumes with intricate designs and graphics will stand out among piles of more average looking paperwork. This may be true, but they may also be the first to go into the trash bin. Instead, you should be looking for a simple design that exudes business professionalism. It should be effective in getting the message across to the employer. To do that, you certainly do not need gimmicks. Those are likely to make you come off as desperate or unprofessional.
5. Keep Your Resume Focused
Another one of the best tips for writing a resume you should take to heart is making sure the document is focused. This includes both the design and the content. For example, mentioning that you changed your college major mid-way through your academic career is likely to send a mixed message to that employer. Instead, you should focus on building a single, unified profile of yourself in the resume.
6. Keep It Professional
The design should be professional. However, the content should be very professional as well. This means only listing things that are relevant to the position you are applying for. For example, listing your hobbies or recreational activities is something that should never be done unless it ties directly into the position you are applying for. Attempts at humor and more casual or conversational language should also be avoided.
7. Take Advantage of Action Verbs
When describing your past accomplishments and positions, try to use action verbs when possible. Words like managed and planned are more likely to produce the image of a person that gets things done.
While job searching herself Elizabeth Shelton scoured the internet looking for tips for writing a resume. One of the top resume writing services firms, Distinctive Career Services, LLC, offers many free resume writing tips and example resumes. Their website found at www.distinctiveweb.com was the most helpful she found.
