For instance, if you have a mix of academic research and industry experience, consider framing both types of experience into separate sections. Also consider adding a section for any published work or presentations.
List your education in reverse chronological order, including degrees earned or pending and relevant coursework. Include certifications and other qualifications.
- Be specific.
In order to create a standout resume, you need to know what hiring managers are looking for. Start by reviewing the job description and identifying skills, experiences and achievements that are most relevant to the position.
List work experience in reverse chronological order with your most recent role first. Include the company name, job title, and dates of employment. Use bullet points to describe your responsibilities and accomplishments, using action verbs when possible.
The education section should be short and to the point – only include your degrees, majors, schools attended, and certifications that are relevant to the position you’re applying for. If you’re a student, consider including a “Student Experience” or “Areas of Interest” section that highlights your academic projects and extracurricular activities.
- Be concise.
Generally speaking, a resume should be no more than one page. If it is longer, consider removing information that doesn’t add significant value to your application.
When it comes to listing work experience, experts suggest being concise and only including jobs that are relevant to the position you’re applying for. This will help to ensure that hiring managers don’t get overwhelmed when reading your resume.
Likewise, when it comes to listing education and other qualifications, be as brief as possible. Only include the name of the institution, degree or field of study and graduation date, unless this information is vital to your job search. Also, keep in mind that your resume should have a section dedicated to professional skills. Including these types of details will give employers an idea of your hard and soft skills.
- Be organized.
Your resume should be well-organized to help the recruiter quickly identify your qualifications. This is especially important if the resume will be read by an applicant tracking system (ATS) before being seen by a human recruiter.
Organize the sections of your resume in a way that makes sense given the type of role you are seeking. For example, if you are changing careers, you may wish to have a skills section before the work experience section.
When writing your bullet points, focus on quantifiable metrics rather than listing your job duties. This will demonstrate your organizational skills more effectively than simply stating that you “ran the day-to-day operations” or “managed school resources.” Lastly, limit your resume to one page unless you have extensive professional experience, in which case two pages is acceptable.
- Be creative.
A creative resume is an opportunity to showcase your unique personality and skills in a professional manner. However, it can be a delicate balance between being creative and not making your resume look too sloppy or overdone.
A key thing to keep in mind is that a hiring manager will spend only a very short amount of time reading your resume before making their decision whether to invite you for an interview. Ensure that it is easy for them to read, even if you are using unconventional fonts or design elements.
Consider using color sparingly, but make sure that it is relevant to the job you are applying for. For example, a blue background may work well for a graphic designer position, but not for an administrative assistant role.
- Be professional.
Hiring managers are looking for a resume that reflects professionalism and is well written. This means avoiding slang and spelling errors and writing in an appropriate tone for your audience.
Aim for a one-page resume, unless you have substantial work experience and need more space. Also, make sure your font size is at least 11 points and you use a simple white or cream background.
Don’t add any informal, personal information to your resume, such as hobbies or a picture of yourself. Instead, focus on the more professional aspects of your resume, such as your work experience, education and awards. Use power words and action verbs when listing your work experiences to help you sound more confident and compelling. You can also highlight how you grew in your roles by highlighting progression and career advancement.building your resume