How to Write a Resume
With expert advice on how to write a resume, there is no doubt that you can easily master the art of crafting outstanding resumes. The ability to write a good resume will not only sharpen your writing skills for assignments but also enhance your chances of getting employment after school. In this section, we will offer you some of the best tips backed by examples to ensure that you can easily know how to write a resume.
A resume is defined as a document that describes your background and skills mainly for the purpose of getting hired. However, resumes can be written for various reasons. In order for a document to qualify as a resume, there are certain components that it must have. These include a summary of your personal information, relevant job experience, educational background and any other unique skills.
A resume should clearly indicate your education, expertise, experience, accomplishments and other interests that are related to the job. The document should be able to effectively communicate these assets to the employer in the form of writing.
In the event that you will be seeking employment, a resume is one of the key documents that you will be asked to provide along with a cover letter. From the resume, the prospective employer can be able to easily tell whether you are fit for the position or not. Therefore, it is very important that you know how to write a resume that can appeal to a variety of employers in order to stand a better chance of employment.
In most occasions, a resume can also be referred to as Curriculum Vitae. However, it should be noted that there is a slight difference between the two. A resume is generally shorter in length compared to CV.
Tips on how to write a resume
Writing a resume requires a lot of attention to ensure that you only include accurate and relevant information that is required. The following are more guidelines on how to write a resume of the highest standard with ease.
Find a job for your resume
Just as mentioned above, a resume is basically a tool that will market you to a prospective employer. Therefore, it is important that you first get a job that meets your qualifications.
By finding a job in your area of expertise, you will be able to know what exactly is required by the employer for the particular position that you are seeking. This will help you in crafting a resume that meets the job requirements as outlined by the employer.
List the keywords for your resume
Many people often think that keywords do not apply to writing resumes. However, it should be noted that keywords refer to the nouns representing the required skills and experience. In fact, these are some of the elements that employers will be looking for in a resume, thus, you have to identify the key requirements that they have pointed out for the position.
Keywords can be easily spotted from the job descriptions or job listings sections.
Include all your contact information
A resume is the means through which you are able to contact your prospective employers and it is important that when submitting your job application, you should also give your full contacts. This will ensure that employers can easily get in touch with you. The resume should clearly show your full name, street address, home phone number, email address and cell phone number.
Choose a basic font
Resumes are official documents that should be presented in a simple format. This is recommended to ensure that the recipient of the resume can easily read it and get the information relayed therein without any problem. Be cautioned that writing your resume in complicated formats may significantly hamper your chances of getting hired since most managers do not have the time to struggle reading through documents.
The ideal font size for a resume should be 10, 11 or 12. Besides, it is also recommended that you use book print fonts like Arial, Times New Roman or Calibri for the resume. However, there are instances whereby the layout of the resume can be part of the interview process. In such events, employers may give room for alternative fonts.
Prioritize the content of the resume
The aim of the resume is to sell your abilities and competence to an employer. Therefore, it is important that you know how to strategically position the most important elements when writing. It is advisable that you give priority to the most relevant and important experiences by listing them first in order to make the resume compelling.
Choose the right resume format
There are various kinds of resumes that are used for making job applications. Based on your circumstances, it is advisable that you go for a chronological, targeted, functional or combination resume. A simple format would be ideal so that you do not have problems in the writing process. In fact, a basic format will make it much easier for you to know how to write a resume in the shortest time.
Step by Step process on how to write a resume
After you have collected all the information required for the resume, you can now start writing while keeping in mind the guidelines outlined above. Below are the basic steps on how to write a resume.
Setting the page
When writing a resume, it is ideal that you set the page to one inch margins all way round, making sure that the point line spacing is 1.5 or 2.
The body of the text should be aligned to the left while the header is centered at the top of the page.
Create the heading
The heading is the first section of the resume that contains your contact information like name, address, email and phone numbers.
It is advisable that your name is written in a font size that is slightly larger and bold unlike the rest of the text, preferably 14 or 16.
Decide on the right layout
The best layout style will be based on the work history that you have and also the type of job that you are seeking.
Chronological is ideal for portraying a steady growth in particular career, thus, recommended for people applying for jobs within their fields.
Functional resumes mainly emphasize on skills and experience instead of job history. This format is recommended for persons who have cracks in their work history or have acquired much of their experience from self employment.
You can also choose to use combination resume that is focused on work history, skills and experience.
Basically, it is important that after writing the heading, you should document your employment history, education history and any special skills or qualifications respectively. Information on these should be presented under small subheadings in the body of the resume. Dates should be clearly indicated in the correct order, starting with the latest on top.
Examples of resumes
By looking at the following samples, you will find out that knowing how to write a resume is quite easy. They are written by professionals to assist you in writing exceptional resumes for different job applications.
Example 1
The following is an example of a resume for a financial editor written in Chronological format.
Roger Jnbgfv
543 Broad Street, Apt. F
Danbury, CT 12345
(123) 555-5555
rjnbgfv@unknown.com
Financial Editor
QUALIFICATIONS HIGHLIGHTS
- Eight years as editor and in-depth content writer for various financial applications
- Extensive involvement in the stock market as an active trader, instructor for trading seminars and producer of online educational videos about trading.
- Easy to work with, excellent communication skills and good sense of humor
PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS
POSITRIX, INC, Danbury, CT
A financial-education organization that teaches retail clients from all walks of life on ways of obtaining low-risk and potentially great rewarding opportunities in the stock market…
Read the rest of this resume sample here.
Example 2
The following is a sample Functional resume
Christina M. Shaffer
212 South Jefferson Street
Georgetown, TX 78626
Phone: 512.686.2398
Email; cmshaffer@email.com
EDUCATION
Texas State University, San Marcos, TX 1994 – 1998
Degree: Bachelor of Political Science
Grade point average 3.97
LEGAL EXPERIENCE
Paralegal May 2009 – Present
Jenkins Law Office, Georgetown, Texas
View the resume here.
Example 3
This is a sample of a resume written in combination format
SALLY REYNOLDS
227 E. 4th Street
Columbus, OH 43210
Email: sreynolds@email.com
Phone: (614) 292-2350
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Science in Sociology
Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
GPA: 3.85
RESEARCH INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE
Research Assistant
Taylor University, London, OH
- Prepared tables, graphs, fact sheets and written reports summarizing research outcomes
- Prepared, manipulated and managed extensive databases.
- Offered assistance in the design of surveys
FINANCIAL INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE
Financial Assistant
Reinhold & Reinhold, LLP, Columbus, OH
We hope that the above guidelines are sufficient to help you come up with a great and appealing resume.
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References
http://susanireland.com/resume/how-to-write/
http://jobsearch.about.com/od/resumetips/tp/resumetips.htm
https://www.asme.org/career-education/articles/job-hunting/6-tips-for-writing-an-effective-resume
http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Resume