-->
A resume is an advertisement that promotes Brand You. It enumerates the benefits that can be had by a potential employer. A well written resume is capable of making the recipient lift the phone and call the sender for an immediate interview.
How to write a good resume is a challenge worth embracing. The reward is your dream job. It, therefore, makes sense that you spend a few hours on your cv. More so, if you wish to achieve a checkered career.
Some homework is mandatory before you sit down to create your resume. Gather all the facts and details concerning the job you want to apply for and the organization that is offering it. You may get the job hands down if you do this it right. Remember to pay special attention to the keywords that appear in the requirement. Responsible and responsive, ability to think on feet, team player, result oriented, multitasking etc.
Think about your skills and past experiences that could relate to the job. How will they allow you to have a handle on the responsibilities and challenges that you may confront in your new job. How your present skills and qualifications stand you in good stead? You, however, can enumerate your academic, sports and social achievements, if it happens to be your maiden job.
Personal details should be used to a bare minimum - name, age, contact number. A couple of good, trustworthy references are a must. You must have taken the permission to use them in your cv. Do not be naive enough to use the names of your parents or immediate relatives. You may bank upon the names of your principal, neighbor, or any other person who knows you well.
Use a functional format if you have some unemployment period in you work history. However, leave such gaps to be explained later in your interview. In case of continuous work history or first job, please stick to chronological format. Which format of cv is better is not the subject matter of this article.
Mention all keywords that you found in the ad in your cv. Give preference to active voice and action words. A resume should never exceed a single page, whenever possible. The recommended and popular fonts are Arial or Times New Roman, and font size 12. Do not use many fonts and sizes. Fancy and funny fonts are a big no.
Go through your cv once it is final. Does it relate to the job you are applying? How would you react to such a resume? Would you call the candidate or just trash it? Be honest and objective. This step is crucial and you would do better if you take help of some senior.
If you are submitting your cv online, do it only on a couple of portals - Hotjobs and Monster. In your anxiety to get a job sooner, do not be tempted to post your resume to hundreds of sites. It will only mar your chances of getting a good job.
About the Author:
Swanson Goad Jr is an HRD Consultant. Over the years he has helped thousands of job seekers to write a winning resume and get interviews. He has to his credit numerous writings on recruitment, employee morale, interpersonal skills, maximize productivity, and time management.
