Many articles are written on Resume Writing Tips or how to write professional resume. Many candidates have questions regarding resume formats, sample resume, resume template, resume builder and taking professional help to write resume. Career Cola has compiled some do’s and don’ts of how to make a resume.
Do’s and don’ts of professional resume writing
Keep it to the point: Keep it brief, concise and relevant. Do not turn your resume into a tedious list of key responsibility areas. Many people even use their company jargon in writing a resume – avoid that. Instead tell the prospective employer how you made a difference to your last job. You can provide specific examples of how the company you work for gained from your performance. You can also highlight any goals which you achieved ahead of time, or any special cost-cutting measures spearheaded by your department.
Your resume should answer the questions like – What special expertise did you bring to your current job? Highlight of any special praise, certificates of achievement presented to you or your department. What were the problems or challenges that you or the organisation faced? and what did you do to overcome the problems?
Not too short, Not too long: We recommend the complete length of your CV should not be more than 2 pages. Do not use long sentences and old-fashioned language. Instead use Bullet Points and modern formal language. Be specific and direct. Explain in a few crisp sentences what you do now, and what you aim to do in your new job.
Do not overuse personal pronouns: It is your CV and hence will be about you. But try to avoid using I, me, my in the CV too often and preferablly be avoided.
Relate your skills and abilities to your job history: Your resume should record your career progression. In the process you must link the skills to jobs done. Also highlight the skills that you now have and will be usefull to the job you are applying for.
Professional resume layout:
Here is the recommended resume layout:
- Profile summary: Start with a profile section (detailing the scope of your experience, skill sets, key responsibility areas) in summary
- Employment History in reverse chronological order (emphasizing achievements in the recent 5-10 years)
- Education again in reverse chronological order (this might be moved to the top for fresh graduates)
- Other topics such as professional affiliations, community activities, technical expertise, and languages spoken
- Personal details should be at the end. However hobbies & other personal interests should only be included if they relate to the positions you’re interested in.
What to keep in mid while writing resume
Keywords: With most of the companies, recruiters and job portals companies using technology to store resumes, it has become important for a job seeker to include relevant industry keywords to be found in an applicant search. Do not make a separate section for keywords but you must use them throughout the resume. A good way to determine keywords is to search the leading job portals and read job descriptions for positions that interest you. Form here you can note the industry buzzwords and incorporate them into your resume.
References: Referees are people in responsible positions who refer you for the job and sometimes are the key to get a job. Always keep at least two good referees lined up but do not list them in the resume unless you are asked for them. You can write “reference available on request” in your resume.
Review your resume: Get your resume reviewed wither by some professionals or by your friends. And based on the feedback evaluate and make changes. Poor grammar and misspelled words may cause a potential employer to question your attention to detail and the quality of your work. Ensure that there are no Grammar & spelling mistakes. A thourough review will ensure that your resume is free from any errors.
