The Basics of a Professional Resume

Curating a resume is not anyone’s idea of a good time, but if you allot enough effort and strategy into it, that piece of document could actually help you land your dream job. As professionals, it’s vital that your work experience is clearly reflected in your resume. You must have the basics of an effective resume locked down.

Format matters. A good quality of an effective professional resume is its format so it’s crucial that you don’t go overboard with your CV.

• Make sure the text is readable with proper spacing, font size and font style. Use Arial font, size 12 and 1.5 spacing. Separate headers by using bold text.
• Use bulleted points to separate key skills and work experience.
• Keep it concise. One to two pages is/are sufficient.
• Remember to aim for brevity because most recruiters only take quick scans of CVs given the multitude of applications they review daily.

In addition, you also have to make sure that you are reachable. Include your updated email address and contact number. Keep your lines open and check your emails in case a recruiter contacts you.

Parade your skills. Your skills section is the most crucial part of your resume. This is where you are able to show the potential employer that you are actually a suitable candidate for the job. Put emphasis on it, but again, never go overboard.

• Never make recruiters hunt for critical information on your resume. Separate your hard and soft skills.
• Utilize the usage of keywords to be an easier catch among other applicants. Practicing keyword usage also makes your resume to the online pool of applications, making it more available to various recruiters.
• Aside from your previous jobs, include additional relevant experience if you think it would merit your application.

Quantify your experience. Whenever you can, use concrete data points to reflect your achievements and experience. This is most applicable in the sales and marketing field.

• Highlight the quotas you have reached or the sales target that you have accomplished. This will definitely be an advantage for you.
• Mention any particular achievements in your career that is relevant to the role you are applying for. Link your portfolio or websites displaying your contributions.
• Summarize your qualifications so that recruiters would get a context of your previous contributions.

Additional information. Every application is different for every job opening so it’s essential that you are always open to tweak your resume from time to time. Take note of the job position and the skills required for the role.

• Include a cover letter if needed. This will also bolster your chances of getting hired or even getting an interview.
• Include a professional objective so recruiters get a glimpse of what you aim for in your career.
• Limit your references to at least three people and always give those people a heads up that you will be listing them as references.

It’s important to keep your resume short but complete. This way, hiring managers will never overlook your application because they can easily spot what they are looking for. If you need help in formulating a winning professional resume, Career Management Systems can do the job for you. Reach out to us now for a free resume evaluation.