The job market is competitive. Many jobs get hundreds of applications and you need to be one of the best of candidates just to get an interview. To have success, you need a winning resume.
The first thing that you need to remember is that you should always check for grammatical errors and typographical errors. These are small mistakes that are easy to fix, and you will also find that when a recruiter sees them, they are an excuse for them to dump your resume!
Take a moment to make sure that you can go over your work in detail and that you are going to get the right effect from your work. If you are uncertain about something, ask someone to look it over for you.
Always remember that you only have about thirty seconds or so to grab their attention. You need to present your most marketable skills, experiences and abilities first. Otherwise, you risk being rejected before most important information about you is read.
Remember that the introductory section of your resume needs to be something that is impressive. This will likely be a summary section or an objective statement.
Strive to pique the interest of the person who is reading and make sure that they want to learn more. If you don’t catch their attention quickly, you won’t get a second chance.
Winning resumes are job specific. Rote template, form resumes are can provide a starting point, but your resume needs to be customized to the position. Take a look at the job description and pick out some key points. As you write the tasks that you completed, pull the focus on those elements of the job description so that you can efficiently show that you have experience in the job for which you are applying.
Understand what kind of resume you want to use for the situation. There are several types of resumes out there and you will find that different ones will highlight different strengths. For instance, while some jobs will need a chronological resume, others will allow you to put together a functional resume, which can be a better match when you want to emphasize your accomplishments.
Always remember that your resume needs to be clear and concise. Never make it feel as though your resume is being stuffed to seem more impressive. Stay away from long or flowery descriptions and you will find that you get a much better response. You might want to use bullet points to keep you on track, and if you find that some things don’t “pull their weight,” toss them out!
Format it so that all headings, bullets and information are consistent. Inconsistencies appear unprofessional and can cause the reader to focus on the format and not the content of you resume.