The resume is a short summary of the person’s past employment record, educational qualifications and other necessary essential details about the applicant. Resume acts as the first impression of the applicant on his/her potential employer. As we all know, there is a very famous saying that “The first impression is the last impression”. So, whatever a person mentions in his/her resume, it needs to be very particular and impressive. When an applicant applies for a job, the interviewer first looks at the resume, and if the resume is appealing enough, the applicant gets a chance for the interview. When the initial impression is good, the applicant gets an advantage over it and gets a better chance to show his/her worthiness.
Now let’s come to the benefits of resume. This world is getting competitive each passing day and coping up with this; one needs to gear up. As we discussed earlier, the resume creates an initial impression; here are some points that will state why a good resume is necessary.
- Outlines a person’s experience and relevant skills.
- Puts light on the benefits that the person can provide as an employee.
- Helps in grabbing an employer’s attention.
- Acts as a leading threat to the personal interview.
- States the points to match a person’s qualities with the job profile.
There are commonly three types of resume format, i.e. chronological, functional and combination type.
The chronological resume format lists the work history of the applicant in a reverse manner. It goes starting from the present career then moving backwards stating other achievements and experiences. It is easy to write and emphasizes on steady employment records. But it has a demerit of stating out the employment gaps. Even it makes it difficult to spot the skills unless it is specifically mentioned with the recent jobs.
The functional resume format emphasizes more on the applicant’s skill and strength. It neglects the dates and does not emphasize on spotty work history. It specifically highlights the skills required for the particular job so catches the attention of the interviewer. The content of this kind of resume format does nit have much depth so may not be accepted by some employers.
The combination resume type, as its name suggests, is the mix of the above two types of resume. It combines the flexibility and strengths of the applicant and shows upward mobility. It enhances the specificity of the past records and shows how the past job skills can be of use to the present employer. It is a bit lengthy and may not be good enough for some employers.
All these types of resume are not suitable for every organization you opt for. So, one should clearly choose the proper resume format according to the specificity of the job. But some points remain common no matter whatever the format of the resume is. Those points make a resume presentable.
Here comes a question, what is exactly a good resume? Many of us create resume either for job interviews or internships, but how do we know if the resume is good enough for the employer to consider us over others? Well to clarify here, one doesn’t need to add fake experiences to make the resume impressive. A good resume is clear, simple and honest one. It should be standard and not something too much than needed.
Your resume brings you in front of the eyes of the employer. So, to get noticed, the resume should be simple and classy. Here are a few tips on how a person can make a simply modern resume:
1. Resume format
It may not sound so important, but the format of resume matters. Many people do not focus on it but, if the format is not right, the resume looks unprofessional and gets rejected. The email id, font size, alignment of the points, all matter. The alignment of all the points should be to the left side to make the resume look decent. The bold, capital and italic fonts should be used strategically. The font should be simple and readable, and the font size should also be taken into account. This shows the interviewer how dedicated a person is with his/her work. This basic about resume should be followed by all.
2. The sequence of the experience
It’s common for any individual to read from top to bottom and from left to right. So, anything written at the top of the resume grabs direct attention of the interviewer. It is very important for the applicants to make the starting interesting do that the interviewer finds the need to go through the resume and not overlook it. Normally it is advised to put one’s best experiences at top. When an interviewer notices these achievements and experiences, he/she is intimidated to know more, and this proves to be a benefit for the applicant. The achievement that is most closely linked with the job profile should be mentioned prior to other achievements. It is so because at the end all that matters to the interviewer is if you acquire the knowledge and skills required for the particular job. There can be many achievements of yours, but if none of them is related to the job you apply for, then they are not of any interest to the interviewer.
3. Don’t overburden the resume
To make the resume interesting, one doesn’t have to put too many information into it. For the resume to look simple and attractive, the achievements that are associated with the job profile should be mentioned. One does not need to put every single achievement right from their childhood till date because all of it won’t matter to the employer. The skills and achievements should be connected to the job profile, and knowledge of other related fields should be mentioned. The recent winnings can also be mentioned to showcase the extra talent a person has, but it should be present only after the information that is directly linked to the job. The more to the point the resume is, the more attractive and attention grabber it becomes.
4. Education and training
The educational qualifications of an individual always matter. All the important information about the qualifications of the individual should be mentioned at the top, and it should be perfectly clear. Additional training, vocational education and any other additional course always make its way to the employer’s attention. For Example for Project Managers PMP Certification can make them stand out in Project Management Field. These references show how much a person is interested in learning and invests his/her time in gaining knowledge about new things. Certification courses, if any, should be properly noted because they add extra value to the resume. Seminars, webinars and conferences attended imply how fascinated a person is to know about a different matter.
5. Strengths and weaknesses
The strengths and weaknesses of a person should be mentioned particularly. The strengths should be in relation to the job profile. Any employer would surely look at the strengths and weaknesses very keenly to know more about the applicant. The strengths need to be such that it makes sure that a person is good enough for any work and can handle any adverse situation tactfully. There should always be at least one weakness mentioned, and it should be mentioned in such a way that it can even help in creating a good impression. The written weaknesses need to be in a way that it can be overcome with time. Both the strengths and weaknesses should seem professional and not something that one used to write as a kid!
6. No objective statements
Objective statements were a thing long back, but now it is not of any value in the resume. Mostly it just acts as a piece of irrelevant information taking space of the resume, which could otherwise be used for meaningful information. No interviewer is interested in objective statements, and it cannot help the applicant in getting through the interview.
7.Do not make it lengthy
The resume should be kept to the point. No lengthy paragraphs should be there. The written facts should be in an organized manner so that many numbers of achievements can be added without overburdening the resume. The information, when mentioned in a clear and compact manner catches the attention of the interviewer. It also exhibits that the applicant is very particular with his/her work and believes in keeping away the absurd stuff.
8. Gaps and other situations
Many people have year gaps during their education which catches the eye of the interviewer. Be prepared to answer the questions they have regarding this. Sometimes there may be cases of temporary jobs and too much changing of jobs. It is good not to mention it, but if one mentions the particular thing for work experience, then there should be a reason good enough to explain the interviewer about the same. One needs to be very careful about it as it can be a negative point during the interview.
9. The cover letter is a must
Cover letter enhances the value of the resume. A well-written cover letter along with the resume creates a great impression. A company always do not want people who are just interested in going up in the ladder. The company also demands people who are dedicated to the organization. The cover letter shows your dedication. A resume without a cover letter cannot surpass a resume along with it.
It is good to optimize your resume according to the job description. The different job requires a different set of skills. Creating a good resume is the first and foremost step while opting for any job. It should be done with utmost care and simplicity for good results.
Visit: businessnewsage
FAQ
A resume is a short summary of a person’s employment history, educational qualifications, and key details. It is crucial because it serves as the first impression on potential employers, determining whether the applicant progresses to the interview stage.
A strong resume outlines relevant skills and experience, grabs the employer’s attention, aligns with the job profile, and creates a favorable first impression.
A good resume is clear, concise, honest, and directly relevant to the job. It avoids unnecessary embellishments and focuses on readability and professionalism.
No, it’s better to keep the resume focused on achievements and skills relevant to the job. Avoid overloading it with unrelated or excessive details to maintain clarity and appeal.
