In the job seeking process, resumes play a major factor in getting hired. With the amount of information freely available on how to write a resume, the proper length to use, and what should and shouldn’t be included in a resume, many still fail to write a resume that would help them get an interview.
How to Write a Resume
There are literally hundreds of ways you can write your resume yet still fail even to get an interview. However, there isn’t really any rule of thumb in writing a resume, because you need to factor in a lot of things when it comes to writing a resume and impressing a potential employer:
- The type of job you are applying for
- Your experience
- The needs of the company
I only mentioned three of the many factors, but even those three alone would already be a major factor in how you write a resume. Of course there are a few standard guidelines you can follow in order to help your chances of properly writing your resume, but this still doesn’t guarantee anything.
In writing your resume, you need to make sure you are not submitting a general resume; make it as job-specific as possible. Focus on your experiences and achievements that are the most relevant to the job you are applying for, and put the less relevant (but still notable) skills and experiences at the bottom.
When writing your resume, you need to think about how you can generate interest with your prospective employer for you to get an interview and eventually land the job. Placing and highlighting the more important information at the top of your resume will increase your chances, since most employers only skim through the many resumes that come on their desk. Thus, by putting your best experiences and achievements at the top, your potential employer will see the best first, which will spark enough interest to continue reading about your other skills at the bottom of the resume.
Another tip in resume writing is to make sure you don’t include anything that would make people raise an eyebrow, laugh, or even shudder from seeing what you put in your resume. Run a simple Google search on “bad resumes” and you’ll see people putting things like:
Objectives:
To acquire a creative development position within the entertainment industry that would utilize my vast (6 months) technical experience.
My goal is to be a meteorologist. But since I have no training in meteorology, I suppose I should try stock brokerage.
Reasons for leaving the last job:
The company made me a scapegoat—just like my three previous employers.
Maturity leave.
Job responsibilities:
Responsibilities included checking customers out.
Dealing with customers' conflicts that arouse.
You may think, who on earth would put those things in their resumes? Yet it is a fact that sometimes people put things on their resumes that ruin their chances of ever landing a job. So if you’re applying for a job and would like to land an interview, be sure to follow the simple tips discussed here on resume writing.
One-Page vs. Multi-Page Resumes
One of the most common problems job seekers face is deciding how long should their resume be. In today’s economy, employers are particular about whom they hire, so as job seekers we need to make sure that we can really show employers our skills, experience, and achievements.
In the past, people would tell you that a one-page resume is more than enough, but what if you already have years of relevant experience? How will you be able to fit everything in one page? Sure, if you’re applying for an entry-level job and you are a fresh graduate, then a single page would work, but any other job will require employers to see more of whomever they’re hiring and to find out if that person is competent.
In deciding between a one-page or multi-page resume, think about how you can best present yourself. Remember, this is your only marketing tool to your employer. Think of it as an “ad” that should be designed to capture attention of your employer. Regardless of how many pages, if you can successfully sell your strong points to your employer without sacrificing the detail of your skills and experience, then your resume has accomplished its purpose.
Good luck with your resume writing, and I hope you can sell yourself and get that interview, ace it, and land that job.