A well-crafted resume not only showcases your skills and experiences but also reflects your attention to detail.
Here’s a guide on how to create a resume that will catch the eye of hiring managers
1. Choose the right format: Chronological, functional, or combination.
2. Design and layout:
- Use a clean and simple design with professional fonts
- Maintain consistent formatting and consider adding a touch of color
3. Content:
- Include contact information
- A professional summary
- Work experience
- Education
- Skills
- Certifications
- Projects and volunteer experience
4. Tailor your resume for each job by customizing:
- Using keywords and focusing on achievements
- Proofread multiple times and seek feedback from others to catch errors and improve.
Sample Resume
Your Name
Your Phone Number
Your Email Address | LinkedIn A/C
Professional Summary: Brief summary of your qualifications and career goals.
Work Experience: Job Title
Company Name, Location — Dates of Employment
- Bullet point describing your responsibilities and achievements
- Bullet point with quantifiable results
- Bullet point with action verbs
Education: Degree Earned
Institution Name, Location, Graduation Date
- Relevant coursework or honors
Skills:
- Skill 1
- Skill 2
Certifications:
- Certification Name, Issuing Organization —Date
Projects:
- Project Title, Brief Description of Role and Impact.
Additional Tips
- Professional Summary vs. Objective Statement: In most cases, a professional summary is more effective than an objective statement. It provides a snapshot of your qualifications rather than just stating your career goals.
- LinkedIn Profile: Ensure your LinkedIn profile is up-to-date and matches the information on your resume. Many employers will check your LinkedIn profile as part of the hiring process.
- Cover Letter: Cover Letter allows you to personalize your application and explain why you’re a good fit for the position. Portfolio: If applicable, include a link to an online portfolio showcasing your work, especially if you’re in a creative field.
Use a Personal Branding Statement
- What It Is: A brief statement that encapsulates your unique value proposition.
- How to Use It: Place it at the top of your resume, just below your name and contact information, to immediately grab the reader’s attention.
- Example: “Innovative Marketing Strategist with 10+ years of experience driving growth through data-driven campaigns and creative solutions.”
Incorporate a 'Career Highlights' Section
- What It Is: A snapshot of your most impressive achievements.
- How to Use It: Place it after your professional summary to quickly highlight your key successes.
- Quantifiable data that showcases your impact.
- Example: “Increased sales by 35% in six months by implementing a new marketing strategy.”
Here are some common mistakes to avoid
- Avoid overloading your resume with excessive information by focusing on relevant experiences and achievements. Keep it concise, aiming for one page for early career professionals and up to two pages for those with more experience.
- Submitting a resume with spelling or grammatical errors can appear very unproffessional. To avoid this, proofread your resume multiple times, use tools like Grammarly, and ask a friend or mentor to review it.
- Omitting Keywords: Failing to include keywords from the job description, which can cause your resume to be overlooked by Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS). This can be avoided by Analyzing the job description and incorporate relevant keywords and phrases into your resume.
- Not showcasing career progression can be a mistake on a resume. To avoid this, highlight promotions and increased responsibilities to demonstrate growth and advancement. Creating a polished resume will effectively showcase qualifications and help stand out to potential employers.