How to Make the Most of Resume Writing

Resume writing, when it is done well, it is an invaluable skill – and fortunately it is an easy skill to learn, as long as you are willing to put in the time it takes.  One thing is for certain, if you want to get a job in today’s job market then you absolutely need to have this skill.  For any given position, you are going to competing with people are are just as qualified as you are – if not more so.  You simply, literally, cannot afford to turn in a sub par resume.

The first thing you need to remember is that resume writing does not necessarily need to be by the book.  Sometimes, it needs to be specially crafted for the position to which you are applying.  For instance, do not assume that you have to hold to a certain resume format simply because someone tells you to or considers it the best possible format.  You need to choose the right format to fit the needs of your specific resume.  After all, you are highlighting your skills, experiences, and achievements.  At the end of the day, you are the best person to decide how to present them in the best light.

For instance, perhaps, for you, a chronological resume would be better than a functional one.  That is just fine.  You know how you want your resume to look and you know how you want to set it up.  You need to highlight your skills in the best way possible, whatever that happens to be.  Just remember that straightforward is best.  Your resume should not contain a lot of baubles and flash.  A lot of strange fonts and different colors will undoubtedly detract from your appeal.  If anything, it will turn your potential employer off and convince him or her that you might not be the right person for the job.  The only possible exception to this might be if you are a graphic designer submitting a resume and trying to show off your skills – but even then, the best resume is going to be concise, professional, and straight to the point.  Remember, that is the key to resume writing: presenting yourself as a professional.

If you are having trouble with the resume writing process, then you should think about checking out a free resume template or two.  That way, you can see for yourself, first hand, what looks like the best format for you.  Most of all, you can see exactly what a professional resume looks like, which will greatly help you write one of your own.  Above all, remember that this is your first impression.  This is being used to convince the hiring manager that you are the best possible person for the job.

The Correlation between the Best Resumes and the Best Jobs

Those job applicants who write the best resumes will unquestionably be offered the best jobs. The correlation is direct, simple, and extremely easy to see. The better the resume, the better your chances of getting the job for which you are applying. Presumably, if you are applying for a position in the first place, then you either really need that job or just really want it. Either way, you need to do all that you can to outshine the competition. With the job market so competitive, you have to get a leg up on the other applicants and prove that you are the best possible candidate to fill the position.

Now then, the best resumes are actually dependent on the individual applicants. For instance, the first step involves choosing the proper format, but that really depends on your needs. A chronological resume might suit you better than a functional resume, or you might prefer the combination format. How do you choose? Ideally, the best resume for you depends on what aspects of yourself, your schooling, and your work history that you want to highlight. That in turn really depends on what kind of job you are applying for and what the qualifications are. There are a wealth of resume tips available both on this site and on others which can help you decide which format will be best for you.

Actually, that was a bit of a fib. Here is a free tip for you: even before deciding on the proper format, you need to think about what your resume is really for and what you need to include. For example, are you submitting a college resume or are you applying for an entry level position? Focusing on what your resume is for will also help you choose what format will best exhibit your skills, talents, and experiences.

Now let’s get down to the meat of the issue – the following information is what a good resume is all about. See, the best resumes contain at least five essential parts. You have to include a very clearly stated job objective; you have to highlight your specific qualifications; you have to clearly present any relevant skills and experience you have; you should include your work history, which should be done chronologically; and, finally, you need to include a list of pertinent education experiences and relevant training. You can also write up a master list containing your work history and your education and training. The things you have done in the past will not change. You have to understand, however, that depending on the format of your resume and the job you are applying for, you may have to take some things off the list when you copy it onto your application for a particular position.

At their heart, the best resumes focus on several things specifically. Resume writing itself should focus on being clean, concise, and as detailed as possible in a limited space. It should also include all the pertinent information it possibly can. No matter what, you need to make yourself look good. Whether you write a college resume or one for an actual position, you have to show yourself in the best light – after all, it will be your first impression.

If you are a high school student getting ready for college or an undergrad getting ready for graduate school, then you can never start preparing your education resume too soon.  Really, a college resume is generally used for high school students but really, anyone applying to a college or university needs one.  What information you include and how you present it can have a tremendous effect on your future.  It is the way you make your first impression with some very important people at the institutions of your choice.

After all, everyone from assistants to the dean of your chosen field to the dean of admissions to your future adviser will be seeing your education resume.  It will give them all their first idea about who you are.  If you present them with a badly written, poorly organized resume which is too long or too short, well, that can all be very telling.  Do you want something like that to be your first impression?  Excuses will not work; for instance, you may not get the chance to explain that you are better at math and science than you are at writing.

So, what is an education resume, exactly?  By all accounts, it is simply a college resume, but it is especially well suited to those seeking an educated related degree.  Just as you will later submit a CV and a resume to potential employers, it is the way you introduce yourself to the admissions department of the college or university you want to attend.  While it is not the place to list all the activities in your school and community in which you have been involve, it is where you highlight all the accomplishments you have attained during your high school years.  Given how competitive the wide world of college acceptance is these days, you can understand why it is so important to create a good resume.

This is not like a typical functional or chronological resume, though you do begin with the heading.  Like a regular resume, it contains your personal information: name, address, et cetera.  Generally, you should include your social security number rather than your phone number or email address – at least that used to be the case.  Especially if you are uncomfortable with the idea, check with a particular institution to see what their preferences are.  Usually, this is really a specification geared more towards high school students applying for college rather than those applying to graduate schools.

Following the heading of your education resume, you need to talk about your education.  This section needs to be incredibly detailed, from including the name and address of your previous institution to your GPA – but only if it is a 3.0 or above.  In the final section, you list your activities, which is the main reason for doing this type of college resume.  You especially want to include community and high school activities.

For a lot of us, getting a free resume template off the internet can help us.  In fact, for some of us, finding one is the only way we know how to set up our resume.  The problem there is – well, what if you get a dud?  What if you find and use a template that you think is great, only to find that your potential employers do not like it?  That can happen quite easily, especially if you are not used to writing and sending out resumes.  Quite a few of us find ourselves in that position once we graduate from college.  At a time when the job market seems to be getting tighter of the minute, we simply cannot afford to be so inexperienced.  Fortunately, there are a number of things you can look for in order to make sure you are getting a layout which will make your resume stand out in the best way possible.

The first step towards choosing a free resume template is knowing what kind you need.  For example, would you prefer to write a chronological resume?  This type of resume is good for people who are continuing on their chosen career paths.  For example, if you are moving linearly or laterally in a field which you have been working in for quite a long time, you would do well with this type of resume.  If, however, you are trying to enter into a new market, you might prefer a functional resume.  This allows you to list your skills and attributes, so that you can better convince a prospective employer that you are the perfect person to fill the position.  Or, if you prefer to highlight both your skills and your technical merits, then perhaps you might fare better with the combination resume – naturally, a combination between the two.

A free resume template can only go so far, however.  For that reason, especially if you are not familiar with writing one, then you may also look for a site which also shows you how to write a resume.  There are many of these – in fact, templates generally show what goes where by including generic examples.  The template might be for John Everyman, from Everytown, USA.  Still, it will illustrate where you need to place your personal and contact information, where you place your education history, your work history, your special skills, et cetera.  It will outline thoroughly exactly what you need to include, how many details are expected, and even how detailed you should be when listing your information.

One thing you do need to be careful of is the style of any free resume template you are considering.  For example, you might think that the template with lots of colors and fancy designs is really nifty.  However, to a potential employer, it may make your resume look cluttered and messy, even disorganized and sloppy.  When writing a CV and a resume, you need to be as professional as possible – and they need to look as professional as possible.  A good resume contains well written, concise but detail information explaining why you are the best candidate for the job.  It is not the place to show your artistic side or to clutter the pertinent information with fancy formatting.

Some of you may be unfamiliar with what exactly a college resume is for and what, precisely, it is.  That is because most of us have more experience with filling out and submitting more standard college applications.  A resume is, of course, different from an application, although the differences are not monumental, at least in terms of format.  As far as your future goes, however, it can sometimes present you with a higher chance of admission, and that is always a good thing.

So, presumably you are familiar with applications.  The reason some prospective undergraduate and graduate students prefer writing a college resume instead is because, quite simply, you get to sell yourself better.  That sounds so cold and capitalistic, but it is nevertheless true.  You see, as opposed to an application, a resume gives you much more room to list things like volunteer activities, your involvement in your community, and any of your extra curricular activities in high school or college.

As such, the college resume is a very specialized kind of resume.  It is not precisely a different format, as we see in the functional and chronological resume.  Rather, it is a different style altogether.  The reason it is preferable over a standard application is because college admissions, especially these days, are very highly competitive.  Likewise, it is different from a professional resume as well – in that case, you are trying to portray why you are the best candidate for the position to which you are applying.  You thus place emphasis on your work history and experience rather than your academic accomplishments.

With all that being said, let’s discuss the format for a college resume.  Some aspects of it are the same as a professional resume.  For instance, you begin with the heading, which contains your personal information – namely, it contains your name and address.  However, in this case, rather than including your phone number and/or email address, you should generally include your Social Security number, since that is the way most colleges and universities identify applicants and students.

Next comes the education section.  As the name implies, this part of your resume will include the name and address of your high school (and your college, if you are either moving from a two year college to a four year college, or if you have gotten your Bachelor’s degree and are applying to graduate school).  Following that comes the technical information – however, your grade point average and class ranking should only be included if the former is at least a 3.0 and the latter places you in the upper 25 percentile of your class.

Third is the activities section, which is actually the primary reason most students choose the resume over the standard application.  List all the activities you participated in during your years in high school and/or college.  This include community and school activities.  The next section, the special projects section, is somewhat similar.  Basically, any special projects you have participated in go there.  Lastly, there is the awards section, which is self explanatory.  If you have never gotten any awards, do not include this section.

When you submit a college resume, you increase your chances of admission enormously, simply because the admissions office gets a better sense of who you are.  When you combine excellent resume writing skills and a well thought out academic cover letter with this type of resume, you practically cannot fail – or be rejected!

You cannot – repeat: cannot – underestimate the importance of your resume.  This is your first impression.  This is your chance to capture your potential employer’s attention, to pique his or her interest.  This is your ticket into the job of your choice.  It does not matter what job you are applying for – whether you want to work the drive-thru at Burger King or apply for an entry level position at a sales office, you have got to have a good one.  Otherwise, you are not even going to get your foot in the door.

First of all, let’s discuss what your resume is so important, what it is supposed to do, et cetera.  Succinctly, its purpose is to list your accomplishments, your skills, and your qualifications, especially as they pertain to the job for which you are applying.  In a way, it is your way of promoting yourself.  In fact, resume writing is an act of self promotion.  You have to show your prospective employer that you are unequivocally right for the job.  Not only that, but you have to outline your experiences and your accomplishments – otherwise, how will he or she know that you are truly qualified for the job?  Furthermore, the document also serves as an example concerning how well you can communicate and how good you are at organization.

Most importantly, remember to keep it short.  It should only be one or two pages, in total — and preferably not an entire two pages.  The real details are reserved for your curriculum vitae.  That is where you will have a chance to shine.  Having captured your potential employer’s attention when your resume writing skills, you now get to reel him or her in with all the special skills, accomplishments, et cetera, found in your curriculum vitae – which, by the way, can be longer than two pages.

Before beginning, you first need to choose what kind of resume format you want to choose.  There are several at your disposal.  Your choice really depends on the amount of work experience you have had.  A chronological resume is probably the most common format, especially for people who have a substantial work history.  When you use this style, the important emphasis is placed on your work experience and past history.  The key here is that you write down your experience in reverse chronological order, beginning with your most recent position.  That goes down first, followed by the position before that, et cetera.

Another style of resume is the functional format.  It employs a non linear style, which puts the emphasis your skills and accomplishments.  Conversely, you write a summary of your past work experience, carefully linking it to the skills and achievements you present.  As you can imagine, those skills – which can include your educational experiences – go first.  This is extremely popular among people who have held jobs in a lot of similar positions.  Rather than having to list each individual job, you can save room – very important in resume writing – by simply providing an overview of your work history.  This saves you from looking redundant.

The combination resume exhibits the best of both worlds, so to speak.  Put simply, it is basically the functional format, plus a brief section devoted to your past employment history.  Your educational qualifications and achievements go first, followed by accomplishments and skills, followed by your work experience.  There are plenty of resume templates available in the internet if you need help.  These will not only show you what goes where, but it many cases you can actually use them yourself, and simply fill in your own personal information, educational background, and work history.

Today we are going to discuss the ins and outs of a curriculum vitae – more commonly known as a CV.  Meaning, we are going to discuss what it is, especially as it compares to a resume; when it is appropriate to include one; and how, precisely, to write one.

First, let’s discuss the ways in which a curriculum vitae and a resume are different.  Primarily, the difference between a CV and a resume pertain to the length, the content, and the purpose of each document.  Your resume should be one of two pages long.  It is just an overview of your skills, your experience, and your education.  Whether you are writing a chronological resume or a different type, your main goal is to be as concise and precise as possible.  You do not want your potential employer to spend too much time reading it – maybe because he or she will not.  At that stage, employers likely have at least hundreds of other applicants to get through, they go quickly.  As such, you need to catch their attention and pique their interest in a short span of words and space.

However, your curriculum vitae can – and should – be altogether longer.  Whereas a resume should never be longer than two pages, your CV can.  This gives you the opportunity to present a more detailed summary of your past work experience, your education, and any special abilities.  You can also include any teaching experience and research experience you have had.  Furthermore, you can highlight any publications or presentations in which your work has been, along with any awards, honors, affiliations, or a number of other facts.

Even more important than CV format is knowing when, precisely, you need to use one.  Within the United States, it is generally used by applicants who are interested in international positions, academic and education positions, or research and scientific positions.  It is also used when you apply for fellowships and grants.  Different positions may include a different CV format.

Keep in mind that employers in Europe, Asia, and Africa will actually be interested in your personal information – the kind that you would probably never include if you were applying for a similar position in the United States.  That includes your date of birth, your place of birth, and your nationality.  When actually true, such CV tips could actually mean the difference between getting a position and getting passed over.

Otherwise, your curriculum vitae will generally contain similar elements no matter where you are applying.  The tradition CV format includes, in this order: your name; your contact information; your educational background; and your skills and experience.  You can also include other elements, such as any experience you have had researching or teaching, any publications, grants, fellowships, professional associations, licenses, awards, or other pertinent information which applies to your desired position.  Here, you are free to detail all of your accomplishments.  Anything that you think might make you a better candidate can go here.  For example, if you are applying somewhere as an intern and you were a candy striper or a hospital volunteer when you were younger, be sure to mention it!

Before writing a chronological resume, naturally you need to know exactly what it is and when it should be used.  The components of this kind of resume are basically the same as any other, but the format is difference.  In this case, you begin by including a list of your work history, starting with your most recent job.  The job just prior to that goes next, et cetera, and your first job last – it is reverse chronological order.  A lot of employers consider these the best resumes, because it is much easier for them to see what jobs you have had, when you had them, and how long your employment lasted.

As such, the chronological resume is very good in certain situations.  For instance, it is considered the perfect resume for people who are seeking entry level positions.  It is also ideal for people who intend to stay in the same field in which they currently work, they simply want to work at another place.

As you will see in a moment, the chronological resume outline is really what makes it different from other types.  In truth, the first part of the format for a chronological outline is basically identical to most other designs.  It is just the way you list your job history which differs significantly.

The chronological resume begins with the identification section.  It is absolutely vital that your prospective employer is able to get in touch with you.  The identification section should thus include your name, your address, your primary phone numbers, and your email address.  If this happens to be an academic resume in addition to a chronological one, then you can also include the name and address of your high school, as well as your home address.

The next section is devoted to your job objective(s).  This is actually an optional section, so it does not always have to be included.  Generally, college graduates and people who are changing careers should include their job objectives.  Of course, it can amount to personal preference as well.  Whatever the case may be, make sure that you clearly explain what kind of work you would like to do, and try to keep it short.  Traditionally, anything between two lines and four lines is plenty.

The third section lists your key accomplishments.  In this part of the resume outline, you are writing a kind of executive summary.  Any accomplishment that could catch a potential employer’s eye should go here.  You can give this section different titles, some of them more appropriate for different positions.  A few examples include: Professional Profile; Summary of Accomplishments; or Summary of Qualifications.

The next two sections are interchangeable for some people.  If you have just graduated from college, your next section should be the education section, followed by the one detailing your professional experience.  If you have experience with full time work, then the order is reversed.  At any rate, your education section needs to include any schools you have attended (including high school), your majors/minors, your degrees, and any honors and awards you have received.  If you are a recent graduate, you may be asked to use your GPA, whereupon you want to choose the highest, whether it is your overall GPA, your college’s GPA, or the GPA you got in your major.

The personal experience section is the same as work history, and as mentioned, it will be different in a chronological resume.  Along with the dates of your employment in reverse chronological order, you include the name of your company, your job title, and your major accomplishments – those should be in bullet format.  Stay away from talking about duties and responsibilities, and use transferable skills to make yourself look really good.  The final parts of the chronological resume outline are your affiliations and interests, and your references.