A Perfect Resume. What should it contain?

Your resume is the first document your potential employer sees in the recruitment process. It is what determines whether you get to the next stage – an interview – or not. How can you improve your chances? Read on. 

Professional experience

It is the most important part of your resume and it is where your entire attention should go. There are two schools of thought regarding experience. One is to include every single job we’ve ever had. The other suggests to include only those related to the industry we seek work in. 

• Provide the company name, your position and your employment period. 
• List your duties. 
• You can briefly summarize your most important projects or achievements. 

The choice is yours. If you are just beginning your professional career, it’s a good idea to list them all, to point out that you’ve had some experience, in customer service for instance. Apart from regular businesses make sure to also list all the initiatives you’ve taken part in, for instance in college. 

You will also like: Five Books on Personal Development to Help You in Your Work 

Skills

Skills can be your key to getting your dream job. It is important to present them clearly and in such a way that they can’t be missed. Your potential employer should be able to tell what you can offer at a glance. How can you do it?

• Be specific. Don’t use numeric scale to show the level of your skills. List exactly what you can do and use the appropriate descriptive phrases (beginner, intermediate, advanced). 
• If you’re familiar with the use of the tools required for the job, make sure to list these here. Do you know how to work with Photoshop, can you manage projects in Asana, or perhaps you know a niche programming language? 
• Foreign languages are an important point as well. Try not to dismiss or oversell your ability. If you have a certificate, give its name. 
• Don’t forget your soft skills either! They are especially important if you apply for a managerial position. Briefly describe what team management methods you use and what courses or trainings you have had.

Read also: Five Soft Skills Worth Developing 

Provide a good photo 

In some industries (such as IT) providing the picture with your resume is being phased out. However, if you decide to provide one make sure it’s professional. High quality, uniform background and clean look are the base. 

Contact information 

Over the years the shape of a resume has changed. Today, you don’t need to provide your home address for example. Make sure your e-mail address and your telephone number are correct. You can also provide links to your social media, as long as they are about work exclusively – such as LinkedIn. Your Facebook or Instagram profiles are best left for your friends and family. 

Aesthetics 

Apart from what it reads, what your resume looks is also important. You can find many colorful creative templates on the internet, but keep in mind that the clarity is paramount. The recruiter has but a moment to look through your application form. In this short time they should be able to learn the most important details, and any additional elements or a non-standard layout can make it harder. To finish up, make sure everything is correct – typos, spelling mistakes or punctuation mistakes are the last thing anyone wants to see. 

In certain industries a portfolio or a cover letter and also required, however it is still your resume what the recruiter will see first. Devote some time to perfecting it and your job hunt will go so much better. 

Good luck!

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