When it comes to searching for a job, having a valuable and powerful CV is a must. Your CV serves as a marketing tool for you, showcasing your abilities and experiences to recruiters and assisting you in landing an interview. In a highly competitive market, though, you’ll discover thousands or even more applicants contending for a single job opening. Meanwhile, since recruiters get such a huge number of job applications, it becomes difficult for them to choose the most relevant ones. And here is when a well-crafted professional resume comes into play!! Yes, a well-written and professional resume may help you stand out from the crowd and get some fantastic job possibilities. A lot of effort is required to create your professional resume.
Throughout the recruiting process, employers use resumes to learn more about candidates and determine if they are a suitable match. To create your professional resume, it should be simple to read, with a summary of your achievements and abilities, as well as relevant experience.
How to make a professional resume
While there are a few standard resume formats, your resume should be tailored to your specific education, experience, and applicable abilities. To know what sections to include in your CV, read our blog on “what to include in a CV”(link). You may want to make several copies of your resume, one for each job you’re applying for. Not to forget the key skills to be included in your CV (link). Here are some important resume writing hints to help you organise and style your resume. Here are some resume writing suggestions to get you started. If you are a college student, just starting off to create your preferred resume, read our article about top resume tips for college students (link).
To get you started, below are 9 key points to keep in mind to create your professional resume.
Create a professional resume #1: Make use of active language.
Your resume should be written in an energetic voice avoiding unnecessary words. This entails employing strong terms like “achieved,” “earned,” “finished,” and “accomplished.” If your resume is overly lengthy or difficult to read, try shortening phrases and condensing concepts.
You could, for example, have a job description that says:
“During my tenure at XXX company, I mentored newly joined recruits in my team and each team member with different project tasks.”
This example may be made shorter and more powerful by adding the following:
“I successfully mentored new joiners while leading numerous team-based projects.”
The new form conveys the same concepts about your achievements while using fewer words and more dynamic language.
Create a professional resume #2: Make your resume readable and printable
Use a font no smaller than 11 point Times New Roman or Arial font. Set your margins to at least.5 inches all the way around, and don’t alter the page size from Letter. Despite technological advancements, many recruiters still print resumes.
Because employers only need a few seconds to go through your resume, it should be as concise and simple to understand. Create your professional resume with a clear and legible font.
You should also make sure that any superfluous white space is minimised or eliminated. Too much white space on your resume may make it seem sparse, confusing the reader and potentially triggering a red flag. You make it simpler for the resume reader to concentrate on the substance of your resume rather than the empty spaces by eliminating unnecessary white space. Increase the font size to 12 points and consider adding an extra, optional section such as “Skills” or “Awards and Achievements” to minimise white space.
Create a professional resume #3: Make use of keywords specific to the job requirement
It’s simple to make a hiring manager’s eyes glaze over by including a list of overused phrases like “hardworking,” “team player,” and “ambitious.” When preparing to create a CV, the best place to start is by reading the job listings that interest you. You should examine each job description for keywords that indicate what the company is looking for in an ideal candidate when you apply for various positions. Where applicable, include such keywords in your CV.
If you’re looking for a job as a Digital Marketer, for example, the job description could include terms like “marketing,” “SEO,” “Marketing Executive,” or “Social Media.” Pay special attention to everything mentioned in the “Requirements” or “Qualifications” sections. If you possess the abilities that employers want, you may include these keywords in the experience or skills sections of your resume.
Create a professional resume #4: Include only the most recent and relevant information
Even if you have a lot of jobs or educational experience, it’s essential to make your resume as short as possible without omitting important details. Hiring managers do not devote a significant amount of time to reviewing each CV. According to research, hiring managers spend just 6 seconds per CV. It’s possible that outdated or unnecessary information on your resume, such as positions from more than ten years ago or small degrees and accomplishments, may detract from essential information.
Include just the most relevant job experience, accomplishments, education, and abilities to the employer. By carefully reading the job description, you can identify the most important characteristics. Important information should be placed higher on your resume to attract attention to essential talents and accomplishments. If at all possible, avoid adding anything that happened more than 15 years ago.
Create a professional resume #5: Draw attention to major achievements.
Select your top three or four most significant accomplishments in each position you’ve had instead of describing your work responsibilities under the experience area. Include statistics that quantify your progress for that specific goal or achievement, if feasible.
You may want to include a separate “Achievements” or “Skills” section to emphasise particular accomplishments in your schooling, profession, volunteer work, or other experiences. Read more about which sections to include in your CV(link). Use powerful phrases like “launched,” “influenced,” and “increased/decreased” to describe what you accomplished in previous positions.
Create a professional resume #6: Analyse resume samples in your industry.
You may get ideas and best practices for your resume by looking at samples of resumes from your sector. While you may utilise resume examples in a variety of ways, there are three key takeaways you should look for:
Make it clear and straightforward to read. Simple and basic resume examples are provided. Because employers just only have a few seconds to examine your CV, readability is crucial. This also entails choosing a professional, uncluttered typeface.
Make it as short as possible. Each part of the resume example, including the summary and experience details, is brief and to the point. Employers will be able to consume more information about you and rapidly evaluate your suitability for the job if you provide just the most important and relevant facts.
Include figures. In the experience part of resume examples, you may also note that metrics are often mentioned. This is due to the fact that employers respond favourably to quantifiable evidence of value. They can better grasp the value you can offer to the job by using numbers. “Executed processing of vendor contracts and established a standardised procedure, decreasing contract inconsistencies by 90%,” for example, says one bullet point under the experience description for an administrative assistant.
When utilising resume examples, bear in mind that they are not intended to be duplicated word for word. Samples are helpful as examples of high-quality resumes in your sector and job title, but you should avoid utilising them as a template.
Create a professional resume #7: Determine if you need a separate résumé for each job.
Before submitting every application, ask yourself, “Have I made it as simple for this company to understand that I’m qualified as possible?” You may need a different version of your resume to properly show your credentials if you’re looking for a position with specific criteria. On a case-by-case basis, choose which resume to utilise.
A resume is often the initial step in obtaining an interview with a potential company. Make sure your resume has the most essential information, that it is organised to showcase the most significant information, and that it is thoroughly reviewed for mistakes. Once you’ve refined and finalised your CV, you should get more callbacks, interviews, and job offers.
Create a professional resume #8: Edit and proofread
You should check your resume many times before submitting it to ensure there are no spelling or grammatical mistakes. While there are many proofreading programs and tools available, it is also beneficial to have your resume reviewed by trustworthy friends or coworkers. It may be beneficial to have an impartial third party review your resume in the role of an employer in order to identify areas where you can enhance or amend it.
Create a professional resume #9: Make Your Contact Information Visible
You no longer need to put your address on your resume (seriously! ), but you must provide a phone number and a professional email address (not your work address!) as well as other online profiles, such as your LinkedIn page and Twitter account, where the recruiting manager may discover you. (This implies that you maintain these social media accounts up to date and acceptable for potential employers.)
How to make a professional resume: The Do’s and Don’ts:
Do’s:
- Prior to creating your resume, choose your job search goal and customise your resume to the role.
- Create a resume that is tailored to a particular job description. Make use of industry jargon.
- Concentrate on positive results and achievements.
- Maintain a standardised, readily understandable format.
- Make powerful, actionable remarks about your work.
- First, make a list of the most essential and relevant things. You could opt to put your “Internships” and “Projects” sections before your “Customer Service Experience” area, for example. The most essential bullet points should be listed first under each experience.
- You must include events in reverse chronological order, beginning with the most recent, inside each area.
- Whenever possible, measure and qualify your experiences. When feasible, use figures and percentages.
- Rather than going over every detail, focus on particular achievements.
- To demonstrate transferable abilities, expand on professional, volunteer, research, and classroom experiences.
- Make sure your work is error-free. Seek assistance from the Career Centre, friends, and advisers.
Don’ts
- Use the software’s templates and tables.
- Make broad statements (e.g., “good communication abilities”) without providing examples.
- Inflate your GPA, talents, or abilities to deceive employers.
- Include objective statements that are lengthy and general. Employers aren’t going to read them!
- References should be submitted on the same page as your resume. They should be maintained in a separate document and given to the employer when they are requested.
- Do not exceed two pages in length. Most freshmen applicants should have a one-page résumé, but this may vary according to your level of expertise.
- Place all of your eggs in a single basket. Apply for a variety of jobs that align with your professional goals.
- Don’t Panic if You Don’t Have Any Relevant Experience
- Don’t copy the exact wording from the job description.
- Don’t Include Any Confidential Information
- Don’t Include Skills That Are Self-Evident
- Work with controversial organisations is not included.
- Include no hobbies that are random, unrelated, or off-putting.
- Don’t Go Too Far
- Using an Objective Statement Isn’t Necessary
- Don’t Try to Cover Up Gaps
- Use Positive Phrases Instead of Negative Phrases
