The dictionary definition of ré·su·mé is a brief account or a summary of a person’s education, qualifications, and previous experience, typically sent with a job application. Typically a resume is a 1 to 2-page formal document that lists a job applicant’s work experience, education, and skills. A good resume is designed to provide a detailed summary of an applicant’s qualifications for a particular job/specific – it is not usually meant to provide a complete picture. A good resume gives the potential employer enough information to believe the applicant is worth interviewing.
Why is it so important to have a good resume?
It is very important to have a good resume. First impressions count, and the first impression that a potential employer will have of you is going to depend on how you present your resume. What impressions you make on a prospective employer is how well your resume represents you on paper.
Experts’ Opinion
“There’s nothing quick or easy about crafting an effective resume,” says Jane Heifetz, a resume expert and founder of Right Resumes. Don’t think you’re going to sit down and hammer it out in an hour. “You have to think carefully about what to say and how to say it so the hiring manager thinks, ‘This person can do what I need done,’” she says. After all, it’s more than a resume; “it’s a marketing document,” says John Lees, a UK-based career strategist and author of Knockout CV. Heifetz agrees: “The hiring manager is the buyer, you’re the product, and you need to give him a reason to buy.”
Here is how to design a resume that will make you stand out from the crowd:
- A Strong Opening (Using a Good Header)
The first 15-20 words of your resume are critically important “because that’s how long you usually have a hiring manager’s attention,” says Lees.
Start with a brief summary of your expertise. Most people have short attention span. You’ll have the opportunity to expand on your experience further down in your resume and in your cover letter. For now, keep it short.
“It’s a very rich, very brief elevator pitch,” says Heifetz. “You need to make it exquisitely clear in the summary that you have what it takes to get the job done.” It should consist of a descriptor or job title like, “It doesn’t matter if this is a job title you have or ever did,” says Lees. It should match what they’re looking for.
Include a clear, hard-hitting statement at the very top of the resume that effectively defines who you are, keeping the specific position in mind, says Ann Baehr, a professional resume writer and founder of Best Resumes of New York. “Do not use an objective. Think of it like a billboard.”
Baehr says the header is a branding statement that is typically all caps going across the top of the page, usually sitting under your name and contact info.
- Getting the order right
If you’re switching industries, don’t launch into job experience that the hiring manager may not think is relevant. Heifetz suggests adding an accomplishments section right after your opener that makes the bridge between your experience and the job requirements. “These are main points you want to get across, the powerful stories you want to tell,” she says. “It makes the reader sit up straight and say ‘I want to talk to her. Not because of who she is but because of what’s she’s done.”
You may need more than one version of your resume. A good rule is to start with accomplishments, list your employment history and related experience followed by education, depending on the industry. For example, education may be prioritized if you are interviewing for academia. For a business resume, it is more impactful to put work experience first and save your degrees and certifications for the end.
- Need to be selective
While it is tempting to list every job, accomplishment, volunteer assignment, skill, and the degree you’ve ever had, brevity is of the essence in this short attention span world. “A resume is a very selective body of content. It’s not meant to be comprehensive. If it doesn’t contribute to convincing the hiring manager to talk to you then take it out,” says Heifetz. This applies to volunteer work as well. Only include it as part of your experience — right along with your paid jobs — if it’s relevant. Don’t make it too long. Use what you need to.
Don’t make it too long and keep the experience that makes you more attractive for the job you are applying for.
- Important to share accomplishments and not responsibilities
“My rule of thumb is that 95% of what you talk about should be framed as accomplishments,” suggests Heifetz. “I managed a team of 10” doesn’t say much. You need to dig a level deeper. Did everyone on your team earn promotions? Did they exceed their targets? “Give people a sense of your management style,” says Heifetz.
- Readable
Stop fiddling with the margins. Lees says the days of a one-page resume are over: “It used to be that you used a tiny font size and crammed in the information to make it fit.” Nowadays, two or three pages is fine, but that’s the limit: “Any more than three and it shows that you can’t edit.” Heifetz agrees: “I’ve never met a resume that fit on one page, even for a recent graduate. If you’re going to tell a compelling story, you need more space.” You can supplement what’s on the page with links to your work but you have to “motivate the hiring manager to take the extra step required. Don’t just include the URL. Tell them in a brief, one-line phrase what’s so important about the work you’re providing,” says Heifetz.
- Use Clean & Elegant Fonts
And stick to the most common fonts. “It’s not how fancy it is. It’s how clear, clean, and elegant it is in its simplicity,” says Heifetz. Vary the line length and avoid crammed text or paragraphs that look identical. The goal is to include enough white space so that a hiring manager wants to keep reading. For example, the opening summary could be three or four lines of text or two or three bullet points. “It doesn’t matter as long as it’s easy to read,” says Heifetz.
- Grammar, spelling, and punctuation check
It can be hard to be objective about your own experience and accomplishments. Many people overstate — or understate — their achievements or struggle to find the right words. Consider working with a resume writer, mentor, or a friend who can help you steer away from questions like, “Am I good enough for this position?” and focus on “Am I the right person for the job?”
At a minimum, have someone else check your resume for logic, grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
- Importance of Industry Keywords
Use words and phrases like “accomplished,” “developed,” “managed,” and “team player” in the natural language of the document, says Lisa Rangel, managing director of ChameleonResumes.com. “If your resume makes it through the filtering system, but it is evident to the reader that you were successful because of ‘keyword stuffing,’ the reader will feel you just gamed the system and will place your resume in the ‘no’ pile.”
- Tailor-made resume
“Tune your resume to this specific role, with substantiating detail that shows why you are a great fit for the position,” says Laura Smith-Proulx, a certified executive resume writer and LinkedIn profile expert. One way to do this is by including all of your skills and experience that are relevant to the job you’re applying for.
- Using a Professional Format & Content
Format your resume so that it is pleasing to the eye. Don’t include negative information about previous jobs or employers. Don’t discuss your hobbies or personal qualities or politics. Simply stick to your career facts.
- Customize it
Customize your resume to tell a story. Your resume should bring the reader through your professional experiences, accomplishments, skills, and knowledge. It should show how you’ve advanced over the years, and what you can bring to the table.
- A Cover Letter might come in handy
About half of all HR reps say they won’t even read a resume if the candidate hasn’t submitted a cover letter. So, unless the employer explicitly says they don’t want a cover letter, write one. Therefore, supplementing your resume with a cover letter might come in handy.
Adhering to these few but important points can really help anyone to stand out from the crowd and make them differentiate from other job seekers which in turn would help them land their dream job.
Written By: Annapurna Ghosh
