The Resume
If you need a good job, then you definitely need a good resume. A resume is the first communication tool that job seekers have with potential employers. Therefore, it is imperative that a resume be professionally written.
Though a resume is written according to the person’s qualifications and job experiences, it is better to highlight the ones which are needed for the new job in the resume which is presented to them. If the new job needs a person who is talented in a particular field the candidate should ensure that his resume shows this area as one of his areas of expertise. This way there is a better chance of being called for the initial interview after which the candidate can talk directly and impress the interviewers. Make sure that the required areas of expertise are mentioned early in the resume so that the person going through it does not cast it aside.
A resume is only effective if it helps you get a job interview. A good resume sells you to potential employers by focusing on your strengths and achievements, and your ability to carry out a job effectively. It arouses the interest of employers and whets their appetite to know more about you.
Types of Resumes, Parts of a Resume
There are several basic types of resumes used to apply for job openings. Depending on your personal circumstances, you will likely choose a chronological, a functional, or a combination resume.
A chronological resume starts by listing your work history, with the most recent position listed first. Your jobs are listed in reverse chronological order with your current, or most recent job, first. Employers like this type of resume because it’s easy to see what jobs you have held and when you have worked at them. This type of resume works well for job seekers with a strong, solid work history.
A functional resume focuses on your skills and experience, rather than on your chronological work history. It is used most often by people who are finishing school with little work experience, are changing careers, or who have gaps in their employment history.
A combination resume lists your skills and experience first. Your employment history is listed next. With this type of resume you can highlight the skills you have that are relevant to the job you are applying for, and also provide the chronological work history that employers prefer. This resume is the most balanced type, and is therefore the most like useful for job candidates.
All of these types are, however, variations on the same basic principle. Regardless of which resume you choose to write, each is likely to be made up of five basic components:
Contact Information
Objective
Personal Skills and Qualities
Work History
Education
Contact Information
When you’re writing a resume it’s important to include all your contact information (your full name, address, phone, and email address) at the top of your resume.
Your Name
Your Address
Your City, State, Zip Code
Your Phone Number
Your Email Address
Your name should stand out, so make it bold and a larger font than the rest of your contact information. Leave a space or put a horizontal line between the end of your contact section and the next section of your resume.
Objective
When writing a resume, many job seekers choose to state an objective on their resume, in addition to (or in place of) including it in the body of their cover letter.
Stating an objective can convince employers that you know what you want to do and are familiar with the field. An objective is typically a short statement of a sentence or two where you declare your intentions. It is critical to be clear about your employment goals.
If you include an objective on your resume, it’s important to tailor your resume objective to match the job you are applying for. The more specific you are, the better chance you have of being considered for the job you are interested in.
Below are a few brief, generic examples, which you can use to guide your own efforts. Remember to use precision when creating your own!
Sample Resume Objective Statements
“Obtain a position at XYZ Company where I can maximize my management skills, quality assurance, program development, and training experience”
“Account executive trainee at ABCD advertising agency”
“Position as clinical practice assistant for health maintenance organization, utilizing writing, research, and leadership skills”
“Customer service management where my experience can be utilized to improve customer satisfaction”
“Create integrated strategies to develop and expand existing customer sales, brand/product evolution, and media endorsement”
“Management position where I can effectively utilize my expertise in human relations, project management, and staff recruitment and retention”
“Marketing position that utilizes my writing skills and enables me to make a positive contribution to the organization”
“Search engine optimization position where I can use my SEO skills and experience to increase site traffic and search engine placement”
“To secure a position with a well established organization with a stable environment that will lead to a lasting relationship in the field of finance”
Personal/Career Skills and Qualities
The skills section of your resume includes your abilities that are related to the jobs you are applying for. Include skills that are relevant to the position / career field that you are interested in i.e. computer skills, software skills, and/or language skills.
For example, if you are applying for an administrative position, include Microsoft Office and other software programs you can use in your skills section. If you are a computer programmer list the programming languages, software, and platforms you have experience with.
Customize the skills section of your resume to match, as much as you can, the requirements listed in the job posting. The closer a match your skills are to the job requirements, the better your chances of being selected for an interview.
Here is a sample Skills Section* of a resume:
Skills
-Mastery of Microsoft Office programs (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access)
-Experience with QuickBooks and with maintaining office budget
-Ability to work with several operating systems, including Windows, Mac OSX and Linux
*Depending on the type of resume you are creating, the skills section is sometimes accompanied by a “Career Summary.” A Career Summary section of a resume is an optional customized section of a resume that lists key achievements, skills, and experience relevant to the position for which you are applying.
The Career Summary section of your resume, also known as a Career Highlights, Career Profile or Summary of Qualifications, focuses on your relevant experience and lets the prospective employer know that you have taken the time to create a resume that shows how you are qualified for the job.
Below are several examples of how this section might be phrased:
“Experienced professional with planning and organizational skills that balance work, team support and ad-hoc responsibilities in a timely and professional manner.”
“Business development executive with years of experience in technical sales, sales management, team leadership, and business growth and expansion. Proven ability to generate sales and revenue.”
“Experienced professional with a unique combination of technical expertise, managerial experience, business leadership, and design and production support to lead the delivery and implementation of mission-critical software systems”
“Significant experience with AIX, HP/UX, Windows, VB.NET, C#, .NET Framework, C, C++, SQL Server, Oracle, DB2, and business systems”
Work History
The experience section of your resume includes your employment history, and is likely to be the most important section of your resume. In this section, you should list the companies you worked for, dates of employment, the positions you held and a bulleted list of responsibilities and achievements. Internships, summer jobs, and temporary jobs, in addition to permanent positions, can all be included in this part of your resume. In constructing your work history, remember to always start from your most recent position and work backwards chronologically. Also, keep in mind it is not necessary to include each and every position you’ve held, as you should frame your resume around relevant experience, but do be sure to explain any significant employment gaps!
Here is a basic formula for your Experience/Work History section, followed by a model with information included:
Experience
Company #1
City, State
Dates Worked
Job Title
Responsibilities / Achievements
Responsibilities / Achievements
Company #2
City, State
Dates Worked
Job Title
Responsibilities / Achievements
Responsibilities / Achievements
Education
When you’re writing a resume, the education section of your resume includes your educational background. In the education section of your resume, list the schools you attended, the degrees you attained, and any special awards and honors you earned. Also include professional development coursework and certifications.
Below is a basic formula to follow for creating your Education section, followed by a visual model with information included:
Education
College, Degree
Awards, Honors
Certification
Professional Development
Visual Resume Template
Your resume is a crucial part in the process of achieving the job you want. Therefore keeping this point in mind you must try to make an attractive resume to secure a job. Your resume must have all the qualities which will enable you to get the job that you seek. Following a basic resume template will help you to get your dream job. So your resume must stand out of the rest. Below is a basic example of how your resume might appear visually on paper. Your resume, of course, does not have to look identical to such a diagram, but this template should give you an idea of how to construct your own!
John Smith
999 Main Street, Chicago, Illinois 67777
Home Phone: (555) 666 – 4444 | email@email.com
___________________________________________________________________________
Objective
Obtain a position [exact position] in the [insert industry/company] where I can maximize my [skills]
Summary of Qualifications
Over [2] years of experience working as [insert job titles]
Extensive experience performing [insert major job strengths]
Solid knowledge of [insert general knowledge related to job target]
Possess certification/bachelors degree [insert education, certifications or key training]
Well-organized, self-motivated individual with ability to rapidly learn new tasks.
Track record for consistently meeting goals and delivering a high level of job performance.
Proven ability to build strong customer/client relationships.
Professional Experience
AAA Company, Chicago, IL
Job Title
2001-Present
Use action verb to include statements of responsibility.
Common action verbs to start statements include: led, managed, oversaw, developed, designed, created, coordinated, negotiated, served, analyzed, performed, supervised, conducted, introduced, implemented, started, sold, integrated, automated, built, installed, refined, deployed.
Tip: try to include sample statements in the format below. If possible explain your task and the resulting achievement. Also try to quantify results if possible. Example statements below:
Managed sales team that achieved annual sales of over $5 million ranking 1st among all sales teams company wide.
Designed new software that enabled accounting department to reduce payroll processing time by 4 hours per week, cutting overall costs by an estimated $2 million annually.
Education
Bachelor of Science in [insert degree], [insert name of college], Chicago, Illinois, 2000
[insert additional info such as GPA, clubs, scholarships, awards]
Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE), AAA Technical School [add certification]