Category: guide to writing resume

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Key Components Of An Effective Resume

Writing a resume

An impressive resume has a much bigger impact on employment prospects than most candidates realize. A hiring manager only reads your resume for a minute or two before deciding whether you are worth interviewing. A good resume has to convey your most prominent qualities and present your flaws in a way that does not hinder your chances of going further. Every employer has a checklist in mind when skimming through any resume, and the profiles that tick the majority of boxes on this checklist end up successful. Here are a few features recommended by resume makers to make any profile attractive to an employer.

1. Easy to Read

No matter what format you choose and what font you go with, your resume has to be easy to read to make an impact. Most HR executives have to go through hundreds or even thousands of resumes during the hiring process. Unless your resume has a visual appeal, it is highly unlikely to be noticed by anyone. Ensure the headings, the spacing, and the fonts all look coherent, and there is no disruption within the format. You can take the help of a resume writing company to make sure your resume is free of any such flaws.

2. Free of Jargons

The only jargons a resume should have are the ones used within the hiring company or the industry. Using abbreviations or shorthands for important terminologies might confuse the reader. You won’t get a chance to clear any of these confusions unless you get called for an interview. And the chances of getting interviewed are substantially reduced when an employer isn’t convinced of your talents by reading your CV or resume.

Hr Analysis

3. Supplemented with a Cover Letter

Some employers specifically ask for a cover letter, whereas others leave it to the applicants. Whichever might be the case, you should always submit a cover letter along with a resume. A cover letter can be helpful when a hiring manager wishes to inquire further about your qualifications without arranging for an interview. It showcases a candidate’s willingness to go above and beyond for getting hired. It indicates dedication on the part of the candidate that is bound to improve your prospects. Professional resume writing services encourage job applicants to always supplement their resumes with a cover letter when applying for a corporate position.

4. Professional Finish

There is no room for informal or casual language when writing a resume for an important job. From the vocabulary to the grammar, everything has to showcase the professionalism of the applicant. The email address you add to your resume must be professional (not something you came up with as a teenager), and the phone number must have a formal voicemail message to greet the callers. These details might seem irrelevant to an applicant but leave a lasting impression.

Effective Resumes

5. Be Objective

When mentioning your soft skills and personal abilities, use objective terms to describe your qualities. Avoid adding fluff to the resume that might not have any quantifiable value. Mention instances of when you impressed your previous employers. Give real-life examples of when you solved problems that were presented to you at your past job. A resume services company can help turn subjective characteristics into objective qualities and make your resume seem exceptional.

6. Incorporate Keywords

Look for the soft or hard skills an employer has mentioned on the job ad. Incorporate these terms into your resume, so your profile is easily matched with the related job description. A resume review service can help you come up with smart terms that will naturally point towards your qualities that fit a particular role.

7. Explain Gaps Shortly

If you have a short gap in your resume, it is advisable to avoid its mention in the CV. However, if the gap is significant, you may give a short explanation without extending your resume further than two pages. Professional resume builder services can present any gap in your career in a way that will address all concerns of your prospective employer.

New Employee Getting Interviewed
Key Components of an Effective Resume 4

8. Relevant Experience

You might have interned and worked at numerous organizations before, but there is no point in mentioning any such experience that doesn’t show a connection with your current application. It makes your resume unnecessarily long, and the reader might lose interest before getting to the relevant points in your profile. Mention the experience that might make you an attractive candidate for the job and omit any irrelevant internships or volunteering experience.  

9. Set Realistic Expectations

There is a difference between confidence and exaggeration. Do not make claims in your resume that cannot be supported by proof or references. An experienced hiring manager can spot false claims very easily and might not believe any of your other qualifications because of it. Companies that offer resume writing help can formulate a profile for you that captures all your exceptional abilities in a realistic manner.

10. Omit Salaries

It gives your CV an unprofessional finish when you mention your previous salaries or your future demand in a CV. Experienced HR executives and managers are already aware of industry norms. They have a clear idea of how to decide on a salary, so you don’t need to mention it yourself.

11. Avoid Mentioning Negatives

Any failed business or employment attempt might not be suitable for mentioning on your resume. Additionally, if you worked for an employer for a period of fewer than six months, abstain from adding this experience to your resume. Switching from one employer to another too quickly leaves a bad impression on your resume. Try to stay neutral when discussing your reason for leaving a job or career, and do not talk negatively about your previous employer either.

Resume Professional Writers is a resume and cover letter service provider that offers you a chance to impress any hiring parties with your qualifications. Our online resume services can be availed by any employment applicants across the country who wish to land a job in their desired industry.

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A Comprehensive Guide To Writing A Resume Like A Pro!

A professional resume writer at work

A resume is arguably the most vital document you’ll need when making your first foray into the professional world. Moreover, its importance doesn’t diminish even after you’ve spent years making a name for yourself in your chosen profession. If anything, your resume becomes more important than ever.

Any time you apply for a job, you’ll need to send out a resume with your application. At the other end, the hiring manager looks at your resume and decides if they would like to schedule a meeting with you. Therefore, it’s safe to say a resume helps you get your foot into the door. It opens up opportunities for you. Resumes matter because they help forge a first impression in the reader’s mind. Most hiring managers can determine valuable details about you as a professional by glancing at your resume. Hence, you’ll need to write a resume that leaves a lasting impression on the recruiter and helps you stand out among the sea of applicants.

Recruiters Assessing A Candidate’s Resume

Most people don’t understand the nuance of writing a resume. A well-written resume is a piece of art detailing your work experience, accomplishments, qualifications, and skills concisely in one or two pages. Unfortunately, not everyone knows how to craft a resume that encompasses all these things. Hence, most people download resume templates, hoping things click. Alternatively, they’ll rely on an online resume maker to do the job.

However, just because you don’t know how to write an effective resume doesn’t mean you can’t learn. Creating a resume can be challenging, but once you nail the fundamentals, there’s no stopping you from going from strength to strength. Hence, we’ve composed this comprehensive guide to help you write resumes like professional resume writers.

Hiring Manager Reviewing Resumes

Writing a Resume Like a Pro

Some tricks and tips can elevate your resume to the next level. They include:

Look for Keywords

Statistics show that keywords play a vital role in whether your resume ends up in the hands of a human resource professional or the trash. According to Capterra, over 75 percent of all large-scale corporations use an applicant tracking system. These applicant tracking systems sift through resumes for keywords before passing them on to hiring managers. Therefore, the best place to start when writing an excellent resume is to browse through a job posting and identify as many keywords as you can find. You’ll want to incorporate these keywords into your resume to ensure the computer program doesn’t dismiss it as irrelevant.

Keep it Simple

You might find it enticing to spruce up your resume with fancy fonts or headers. However, you need to remember that keeping it professional is essential. According to a survey by Forbes, applicant tracking systems reject three-fourth of all candidates because their resume is illegible for the system. Moreover, your resume should contain language that’s easily understandable, meaning it’s vital to avoid incorporating technical jargon. In addition, stick to a professional font. You might want to try out a new font to make your resume stand out, but this isn’t the time to be experimenting. Ensure that your font is readable by keeping it between sizes 10 and 12. If you’re unsure which font to use, you can’t go wrong with the classics like Calibri or Times New Roman. Therefore, stick to the basics, and your resume should be good to go.

Select a Resume Format and Adhere to It

Most resumes follow a format. There are three commonly used resume formats that you should know: chronological resumes, functional resumes, and combination resumes. Chronological resumes emphasize your work experience. You’ll start by listing your most recent work history and work your way backward. On the other hand, functional resumes place little value on the job experience. Instead, they highlight your core competencies and skills. A combination resume mixes the best features of both functional and chronological resumes. Each format has its advantages. Consider selecting the format that’s most suitable for you and adhere to it.

Make a Compelling Header

Once you’ve selected the format, it’s time to start writing your resume. You’ll have to begin with the header. Typically, most people add their names to it. Their contact information and a concise resume summary usually follow suit. You’ll want to avoid any unnecessary information, such as your birth date. In today’s digitalizing world, adding social media links might also be acceptable. Generally speaking, some fields like digital marketing or graphic design are more receptive to the idea than others.

Professional Summary

Typically, your professional summary should be immediately below your header. Most experts agree that professional summaries should be between one to three sentences. They should concisely describe your expertise, skills, and why you’re perfect for the job you’re seeking. While having a summary isn’t mandatory, it provides the hiring manager a quick insight into you as a professional.

Skills

For the longest time, people would relegate skills to the bottom of their resumes. However, in today’s day and age, skills have become more vital than ever. Considering how popular upskilling and reskilling have become, you want to showcase your core competencies to prospective employers. Moreover, many job ads will also list bonus skills that employers would prefer candidates to possess. If you’ve got these skills, it could help propel you to the front of the line.

Work Experience

Your work experience section is another critical part of your resume. Depending on the resume format you choose, it could be the center of attention of your resume. You’ll want to include company names, locations, and employment dates. Moreover, you’ll also need to accompany them with job designations and a few bullet points detailing your job tasks and accomplishments. Consider using action verbs when describing your role because it helps highlight the message you’re trying to convey more authoritatively.

Education

Depending on your experience level, the education section of your resume will vary. If you’re a seasoned veteran, you can get away with listing only your undergraduate and graduate degrees. However, if you’re a fresh graduate, you’ll need to provide a more extensive educational background.

Keep it Short

Many people often make the mistake of dragging on and on in their resumes. Most employers prefer resumes that are one page long. Recently, there’s been a shifting trend towards two-paged resumes. However, those are primarily applicable to veterans who’ve been working for more than a decade.

Proofread and Fact-Check Your Resume

Some professionals often believe they can lie on their resume and get away with it. However, that’s a terrible idea. Your employer will most likely catch onto your lies. If that happens, you’ll have to face severe consequences, such as termination from your job. Refrain from embellishing your resume. Instead, fact-check to ensure you’ve provided accurate information. According to Career Builder, 75 percent of hiring managers report catching lies on resumes. Take it from us, it’s not worth it.

Proofreading your resume for errors is also crucial. Grammatical errors tend to leave a poor impression on hiring managers. You don’t want to risk not getting a callback because you forgot to punctuate correctly.

An Hr Professional Assessing Candidates

Increase Your Employability by Having a Professional Write Your Resume

Now that you’ve learned the secrets to writing an excellent resume, it’s time to get to work. However, you might find that your resume still doesn’t look as good as you desire. If that’s indeed the case, there’s no reason to worry. You’ll need to continue trying because practice makes perfect. In the meantime, you can solicit the services of a resume writing company to help you with your resume.

Resume Professional Writers is a resume services company that houses some of the industry’s most experienced resume writers. We provide a range of resume writing services, ranging from resume critique to resume editing services. In addition, we also offer LinkedIn profile writing services and CV writing services.

Visit our website for more information, or contact us to get started.