What is a Resume?
A resume is the FIRST thing employers and recruiters see that should summarize your skills, experience, and education. It is used for many different purposes like applying for jobs, college admissions, scholarships, to apply for internships or volunteer positions. Usually, it is about one to two pages long.
A resume includes the following sections:
- Personal Information
- Professional Summary
- Employment History
- Education and Qualifications
- Professional Memberships
Resumes are written with the most recent job at the top of the page with the most relevant information and details. If you have no work history, list volunteer experience, attach teacher notes, or put your school curriculum there. The whole point of a resume is to convince the employer to invite you for an interview by demonstrating how you meet their needs and how you would benefit their company.
Resumes are not designed to tell everything about yourself. Keep a bit of mystery for the interview. Instead, they are intended to highlight relevant information about yourself concisely so that employers can understand who you are as a professional.
You should also ensure that it is concise and easy to read because employers usually don’t have enough time to read through long resumes. Remember, there are times when employers and recruiters go through hundreds of resumes a day, and we do not spend more than about seven seconds on each.
What are the Best Ways to Make Your Resume Stand Out?
As we know, your resume is your first impression for a potential employer. It is your chance to show them what you are capable of and why they should hire you. It would be best if you made your resume for the position you are seeking, and you may need to have a few different versions depending on your goals.
There are many ways to make your resume stand out, but the most important thing is to be honest, personal, and concise. You want to highlight your skills and experience to make it easy for the employer to see how you can help their company.
There should be NO grammatical errors or spelling mistakes. Use spell-check or have a professional resume writer work on it. Resume writers charge but getting your dream position may be worth it. Again, this is your first impression!
How to Write an Effective Cover Letter?
A cover letter accompanies a resume and is an integral part of the job application process. This initial introduction to the employer shows that you are interested and have taken the time to put extra effort in. Also, it is a polite introduction. A cover letter should not take more than one page or be too short and should include your contact information, why you are interested in this position, and why you would be a good fit.
The cover letter should be concise, well structured, and written from the first-person point of view. Paragraphs should be every 1-3 sentences depending on the length, as most employers will skim through it. Start the letter with “Dear Mr. Parker” if you know the person’s name. If not, use “Dear Hiring Manager” and sign off with “Yours Sincerely.”
In the past, cover letters were not as important as they are now. Nowadays, they are more important because they can make or break your application. We want to see you shine in your cover letter!
Finding a new opportunity is a life-changing and stressful event, so investing time and sometimes money in your resume is well worth it. It will not only build your confidence come interview time but bring a lot more offers to the table👁️👁️