Do you know what makes a professional resumes stand out among the thousands a recruiter may look through for a single job opening? Are you looking for an easy resume template you can use to put together a resume that will land you your dream job?
There are a few things you should know before attempting to write a resume.
Resume Formats
There are four main types of resume formats. Each layout will highlight (or hide) different parts of your resume.
An important part of understanding how to write a resume, is first choosing the right layout for your background.
The four different ways to write a resume are:
- Chronological Resume – This is the most common way to write a resume. It lists your experiences in order, includes the dates of employment, and shows the progression throughout your career so far. This is great for someone who has a strong work history, not many gaps in employment, and has been with his or her employers for a longer period of time.
- Functional Resume – The functional resume format is best for people who may have gaps in employment, be unemployed, or don’t have much work experience at all. This style focuses on your skills and experience first before getting into your work history (which usually doesn’t include specific dates of employment)
- Combination Resume – A combination resume will showcase your skills and experience, like the functional resume, but include a chronological list of your work history as a way of showing credibility to a potential employer. This is a great resume style for anyone looking to showcase both strong work history and strong, stable work experience.
- Targeted Resume – Targeted Resumes are a great resume format to use if you want to tailor your resume to each job that you are applying for. These types of resumes can have the best results as you are basically mirroring the job description through your resume.This type of resume is also the most time consuming because you are frequently updating your resume based on each job you are applying for instead of using a general resume for all job applications.
How to Write a Resume
When writing a resume, you should focus on a few main parts. These include your summary or objective, your work history/experience, your skills, your education, and any relevant honors or certifications that you have.
Only include information that is relevant to your job search.
For example, if you are looking for a professional or office job, you don’t need to include that you have a black belt in karate or that you coach soccer on the side.
Your summary should include a short explanation of why you are interested in the position you are applying for and a high level overview of what you can bring to the table.
Tailored resumes will have a summary written for one specific job, while a more general resume will have a general objective about the industry, position type you are applying for, and you relevant skills.
Your work history/experience section will list all the relevant work experience you have. Your list can include specific dates, just years, or no dates at all depending on which resume format you chose.
Skills that you use should be in a listed, easy to read form. Only include relevant skills for the position type you are applying for.
Your education should list where you went to school and what you went for. If you are several years into your career and you have a college degree, there is no need to list your high school.
However, if you’re a student or new in your career, your High School and any pending degree you are working on can be listed. You do not need to list dates for any education listed on your resume.
Honors and Certifications are not required to be on a resume, but if you have ones that will help you in your new position, it’s nice to list them.
For example, if you are in human resources, there is a Professional in Human Resources certification you can get. That would be great to put on your resume!
But if you had a computer coding certification, it wouldn’t be relevant to a human resources position.
Resume Tips and Tricks
I have been a corporate recruiter in multiple industries for nearly a decade. I have seen hundreds of thousand of resumes. I’ve seen great resumes and I’ve seen really bad resumes.
Here are my 5 best resume writing tips:
- Research how to write a resume and stick to a resume template – Sticking to a professional resume template will keep your resume looking polished and uniform. Don’t just write everything on the page without an outline or a plan.
- Use spell check and check for errors – This is such a simple things to do but one that is overlooked a lot. You assume a recruiter isn’t looking that closely to a resume, but they are. It’s especially important to make sure your resume with error free if you are applying to any job that requires attention to detail.
- Don’t put things on your resume that don’t matter to the job –If you have been in your career for several years, there is no need to list extremely old work history. If your resume can be easily filled with the relevant jobs you’ve held, you don’t need to go that deep and list everything on a resume.
- Know the difference between a resume and a job application – A resume is a document that you use to market yourself for a potential job. You write it in a way that will reflect the best on you. An application is a legal document that you fill out at some point before receiving a job. You will need to list specific dates of employment and al employers for a given period of time on the application if asked for.
- Pay attention to your past job titles – Use Job Titles on your resume that are similar or the same as the job that you are applying to. When a recruiter, or applicant tracking system, is screening your resume fast, similar job titles and duties are going to catch their eye and make them read more of your resume.
- If you don’t feel comfortable writing a resume, get help.– using a professional resume writer to help you with your resume will ensure that it is error free, has the correct keywords and skills, and will help you get more interviews fast. Check out my resume writing services, products, resume reviews or coaching services if you are in need of some help. Sometimes, the money you spend on a professional resume writer will make up for itself by getting you a job quicker.
Free Fully Customizable Resume Template!
I know how hard it can be coming up with something out of nothing. Below you’ll find a free resume template to download that can be personalized just for you no matter what industry or field you are in.
Let me know if you need any help writing something that will help you stand out!
Writing a resume that will get your noticed
In the end, a resume is your first impression with a potential employer. It is going to be what makes you stand out among all the other applications for a job.
How you write a resume could potentially make or break your job search success.
If you aren’t comfortable with writing your own resume, I do offer professional resume writing services. If you just want another set of eyes to double check what you’ve written yourself or want some feedback on your style or even LinkedIn page, check out my store to see what else I can help you with.
Working with a professional resume write will help you land your dream job quicker!
What scares you most about writing your resume? Reach out today for a FREE resume review!