To job hunters, the resume is often like their right hand. This invaluable tool goes before you presenting your skills, abilities and experience to potential employers. While it is important to know how to interview, you will never need this skill if you don’t first learn how to write a great resume. Resumes are the key to getting interviews and eventually landing the job.
Nothing speaks more than a first impression. When looking for jobs, resumes are often the employers only first impression of you. Often, a quick scan of the resume is the only initial consideration that you will receive. It your resume doesn’t stand out quickly, you will not be receiving a call for an interview.
If you are tired of seeing less qualified candidates land jobs over you, take a look at your resume. It is possible that a better resume could lead to more interviews and the job that you are looking for. Learning the skills necessary to create a well written, professional looking resume could quite possibly be the most important job skill you can acquire. If you are planning on preparing your own resume, as opposed to hiring a professional, keep these tips in mind to increase the effectiveness of your resume.
Spelling and Grammar Are a Priority In a quick scan of your resume, human resource workers will quickly notice grammatical and spelling errors. Make sure your resume has perfect grammar, spelling and formatting. It is a good idea to ask someone else to look over your resume for spelling and other errors before submitting it.
Be Consistent Throughout Using a consistent style throughout the body of the resume is critical. If you spell out dates, spell them out the entire time. Also consistently use any bulleting or numbering systems. You want your resume to look the same in every section. This will make your resume more attractive and easier to read.
Present Information in an Easy to Find Manner You know that employers may only give your resume a quick scan. This makes it essential to place key information in easy to find locations. This way, they will be sure to find the important details as they scan the resume.
Stick to One Page You can have too much of a good thing. As you write your resume, remember that it all needs to fit on one page. Resumes with several pages are overwhelming. As a note, if you have a little too much information for one page and not enough for two pages, either reduce or expand. You don’t want to have a resume with just one or two lines on the second page.
Limit Your Information Don’t pad your resume with unneeded information. Employers don’t care about your high school, marital status, race or hobbies. Keep this information off of your resume. Do not include references on your resume. Many applicants find it works well to put these on a separate sheet and take it to the interview.
Create a Clear Objective Specifically write an objective for each position. This will help the prospective employer know you care about their job. A well written objective can help your resume stand out from the many that will be received. Following these steps will help you create a great resume that will really stand out. Spend a little extra time working on your resume and land more interviews.
To help you draft your resume there are software packages to help you. You can read resume software reviews to determine if one them would suit your needs. Sometimes a little help is all you need to get the perfect resume for you.