8 Golden Rules Of Resume Writing And What They Can Do For Your Job Hunting
Sure, you might know the basics of how to write a resume. You may even have some guidelines that work for you, but if you’re not careful, this small piece of paper could end up being your downfall. A few simple rules can make all the difference in your job hunting journey. Here are time-tested advice that will keep you from getting caught up in common mistakes and give your resume the edge it needs to land an interview or two. Golden Rule #1: Make Your Resume Easy to Read
According to resumego.net your resume is the first thing a potential employer will see, so you want it to be professional and appealing. You also want your resume to be easy for an employer to read and understand right off the bat. An excellent way to begin this process is by doing away with superfluous words and sentences and adding action verbs wherever possible.
When possible, use synonyms instead of the exact words over and over. If you are discussing job skills, for example, don’t say that you are “experienced with Word” or that you are “quickly learning Excel.” Instead, substitute “efficiently completes all tasks” or “effectively organizes large spreadsheets.”
“The more action verbs you include in your resume, the more likely it is that your resume will be easy to scan and read,” says Career Strategist David Collins. Golden Rule #2: Don’t Go Overboard with Formatting
Source: rawpixel.com The purpose of a resume is to sell you to a prospective employer. Your resume will be thrown in the trash without a second glance if it looks like a bunch of gibberish. Experience shows that when resumes are formatted using Arial font with 12-point lettering and 1-inch margins, the results are consistently stronger than other formats.
Unlike many other pieces of paper that go into an application package, there is no need for your resume to be rigidly formatted in one style. Experienced readers expect a variety of formatting and fonts. However, be sure to choose a typeface that can be easily read and does not look childish or unprofessional.
To add separation between sections, such as work experience and education, use a vertical bar graph (|) instead of the traditional tab stops. Do not use an obtrusive larger point size or bolded or italicized text for section headers. Golden Rule #3: Use Keywords People are Looking For
Make your Resume search-engine-friendly by using keywords people use to search for job skills and experience. In addition, make sure your resume goes through a keyword checker to make sure you have the most important words in the right places. It is especially important if you are applying for a job online or through an online career portal. For example, suppose you are applying for an administrative assistant job. In that case, these are the keywords people would type into the appropriate search box: “human resource manager” or “hr manager,” or “management.” Create a list of 25 keywords and check them to see if they […]
