Writing a resume is a little bit more than simply jotting down your job history. While a resume is more in depth than an application, it is actually less informative. Your resume is your chance to sell yourself to a potential employer and is your real first impression. If your resume isn’t up to par, then you aren’t likely to receive an interview. Follow the guidelines below to brush up on your resume skills and create a wonderful attention grabbing resume that will stand out in a crowd.
• Avoid including personal information. A potential employer you’ve never met doesn’t need to know about your 3 kids and 4 cats, nor do they need to know your hobbies unless they relate to the position. A potential employer wants to know how hiring you will be beneficial to their business. Period.
• Don’t get bogged down with details. A potential employer isn’t looking for the exact date your started your first job eve, 12 years ago. He is looking at how many years of experience you have in your field. So when listing previous employment, keep the details to a minimum. For example: Worked for 5 years as a technician before being promoted to manager.
• Layout is important. When you think about the items that a potential employer really needs to know in order to consider you for a job, you can easily decide how to layout your resume so that he gets the important information first. This includes your accomplishments, education and a working knowledge of your field. The details of which companies you worked for should be closer to the end.
• Don’t neglect to include your contact information at the top of each page. Your full name, address, phone number and an email address should be included. You won’t get an interview if the employer can’t get in touch with you.
• Don’t get involved in detailing each and every school you went to as a child. Simply include your degrees or certifications. This is a resume, not an application.
• Always include your objective and goals for the future, in your field. This lets a potential employer know whether you are looking to advance or would like a position that is steady and long term without the goal of climbing the corporate ladder.
• Don’t forget to explain why hiring you would benefit the company. Whether it is because you have many years of experience and knowledge to offer, or because you are a fast learner who is motivated and want to advance.
• Keep everything on your resume succinct, professional and sophisticated. Watch your grammar, spelling and syntax to present your information in a way that will make a potential employer want to interview you.
Each of these tips is related to what is considered good resume writing skills. This means that you can easily put together a resume to rival a professional resume service by following the tips and taking the time to make sure that your resume gives potential employers a stellar first impression of your education, skills, and knowledge.