Learn Professional Resume Writing

Link for Video Lecture: Professional Resume Writing

What is a Resume / CV?

A resume is the record of your work experience, achievements, skills, education, certifications & other related details. It is the first contact between the company and the candidate. So it should be attractive and convincing. Join our free content writing course to learn resume writing effectively. It does not enable you to write resumes but you can work as a freelancer to earn your share of the freelancing market.

You can earn a handsome amount by writing resumes for others. You can teach resume writing or offer professional resume writing services on your website. In short, here are some tips to write a catchy resume.

Tips for Resume / CV Writing

1. Select a right resume format
2. Add your personal and contact information
3. Similarly, add a resume heading or objective
4. List relevant experience or key achievements
5. List your education correctly
6. Include additional resume sections
7. Provide a list of related skills according to the nature of the job
8. Complement the resume with a cover letter
9. Finally, proofread, save and email your resume

You can create a professional resume step by step;

1. Selection of a Right Format

Firstly, select the right resume format according to the nature of the job you are applying for. Moreover, the pros and cons of some resumes are given below;

Combination Format

Pros:

• It is good for experienced people.
• It is useful for career changers to have good skills.

Cons:

• These are uncommon, unfamiliar, and not recommended for entry-level job seekers.

Functional Format (Skill-based)

Pros:

• In this format, job seekers can emphasize skills instead of experience.

Cons:

• HR managers can think that you hide something.

Reverse-Chronological Format

Pros:

• It highlights career advancements.
• It is a traditional style of resume.
• Focuses on relevant job experiences.
• Familiar with recruiters.

Cons:

• It is a common design format but not much creative.
• This type of resume is best for job seekers having relevant work experience.
• Gaps are clear in employment.
• It does not emphasize abilities and skills.

The reverse-chronological resume is the traditional format of resume which emphasizes your duties, experiences, and work history. Therefore list the most recent positions first and then the oldest ones.

2. Add Contact and Personal Information

An individual should know what to add and what to hold back. The necessary contact and personal information is given below;

• Name,
• Phone number
• Email address
• Online link to your profile (if available)

Moreover, you can add your websites, blog, or social media details also.

3. Add Resume Heading / Objective

Firstly, your resume is scanned by the HR officials so it is very important to add a catchy heading to grab the reader’s attention. Most employers go through your objective summary.

4. List Relevant Experience/Key Achievements

It is the main section of a resume where an employer matches the relevancy of your experience with his requirements. In this section, you will add your past experience and skills. Its formation should be in the following way;

Job Title – Firstly, it should be on top of every entry of the work history to provide a good idea to the employer.

The company, City, State – Secondly provide details of the previous company, city, and state.

Dates Employed – write the dates you have been employed in the previous company. Moreover, you can add years and months but not days.

Key Responsibilities – write some important responsibilities/duties relevant to the new job.

Key Achievements – write down key achievements and how well you handled them.

Keywords – It is good to add a resume keyword in the section of the experience.

If you have more than one job history, add the most recent position on top and then go back in reverse-chronological order. It is good to add some bulleted points in key responsibilities and achievements.

Similarly, the experience section should be under the heading or objective statement. If you have no experience then put your education section before your work history. Employers always welcome those employees who show participation, motivation, and ambition.

5. List Your Education Correctly

You should know how to list your education in your resume.

1. The right order in education in a resume is to list your highest degree first.
2. List other education degrees after in reverse-chronological order.
3. It is better to write university degrees instead of high school info.
4. Moreover, don’t forget to add information about the relevant courses, honors and awards received.

On the other hand, you can skip GPA from your resume if it is not perfect.

6. List Related Skills According To the Nature of the Job

Read the nature of the job to create a good and relevant resume. You should know what soft and hard skills are required for that particular job. Don’t list irrelevant skills in your resume. List those skills which are handy for the jobs.

Here are some common skills to put in a resume;

• Communication skills – These include social skills, nonverbal communication, interpersonal skills, and listening skills.
• Technical skills – Skills required to perform specific tasks such as computer skills and clerical skills
• Job-specific skills
• Management and leadership skills – They show the ability to be a good manager, supervisor, and leader.
• Critical thinking skills – Skills required to make thought-based decisions to take initiative. It includes decision-making, problem-solving and analytical skills.
• Organization skills – They are required for planning, organizing, and management.
• Transferable skills – These are required for career changers to move on to new positions

7. Include Additional Resume Sections

The above sections are present in everyone’s resume but how will you make your resume personalized? You can make it different by adding extra sections. These additional sections will enable you to show your extra qualities and achievements that can make you proud. Here are some recommended sections that help you stand out.

1. Hobbies and Interests- being a football player show that you can work in a team. Similarly, if you are a coach then you have the expertise of leadership.
2. Volunteer Work- adding an additional volunteer section in your resume shows your commitment and values. It also clears that you don’t care about money always. It is an excellent section for entry-level job seekers.
3. Awards and Certifications – If you have any relevant awards or certifications then add the section to make your resume distinct.
4. Languages – this section extends your usefulness, particularly in the international scenario. Therefore, list languages you can speak with a level of fluency.
5. Publications and Projects –You can mention the publication of articles written for a blog, science journal, or newspaper. Similarly, if you are a graphic designer and your publications or work is too long then you can create an online portfolio to list everything. But it’s a link to your resume.

8. Complement the Resume with a Cover Letter

A cover letter helps to go into a little more detail about what you keep brief in your resume. Employers think that a cover letter is also necessary to make a decision. So a good cover letter that matches your resume is an advantage over other candidates.

9. Proofread, Save, and Email Your Resume

It is the most important phase of creating a resume. Proofread your resume and cover letter by email. It is also possible that you cannot proofread your resume so ask someone else to go through it. On the other hand, it is important to give fresh pair of eyes to your resume.

1. PDF format of resume is the most common these days but you can save it in .docx as well. You can create a nice and clean resume.
2. Your resume and cover letter should be eligible. You should select an appropriate font or standard font with single-line spacing. The size of the font is 11pt or 12pt but the size of the section heading can be increased to 14pt to 16pt. Moreover, you can make some text bold, italics, or underlined to grab attention.
3. On the other hand, consistency is very important for your resume.
4. Once you have created a resume and proofread it then you can send it by email.

 Tips for Resume Writing

1. You should stay relevant that you are the most appropriate candidate for a particular position.
2. Make a specific resume for a specific job. Don’t send a general resume to all companies for all kinds of positions. So it is better to tailor it according to the job you are applying for.
3. It is good to use an active voice tone with the heading statement but ignore irrelevant details.
4. You should create a consistent resume; the style, colors, font size, and style should be consistent throughout the whole resume.
5. Double-check your resume to find out errors. On the other hand, you can ask a friend to help you at this stage.

You can get ideas or even create resumes online using different tools. You can come across a wide variety of resumes.