How to Write a Resume with Little Effort?
Resume writing can be a tough task and one that requires a lot of time. Apart from that, you sometimes think that you have prepared a masterpiece, but you still end up not getting the interview. Even though there are many resources providing information on how to write a good resume, most of them don’t provide a step to step process on how to create it.
However, if you want to apply for that job and you want to create a resume of your own, we are here to help you out. We have developed a step to step guide on how to write a resume that we guarantee will land you not only interviews but also the job you have applied for. Regardless of whether you are a first timer with no experience or a professional requiring to add on your skills, we are here for you.
What is a Resume?
We can define a resume as a document required for job application as it showcases an individual education, work experience, and skills.
Before getting into it, let’s first brief ourselves on what this thing resume is.
The following are misconceptions about resumes:
- Resumes are a summary of one’s skills
- Resumes are a log of one’s job history
- Resumes will automatically land you a job
This is not what a resume is. Basically, we can describe a resume as an advertisement which markets you as the product and when creating one, your aim is to make the hiring managers buy the product that is giving you an opportunity to be interviewed by them. Therefore, for your product to sell, you must have the best marketing tool. If you don’t have one, then you cannot fight in the pool of job seeking. However, just having a resume is not enough to guarantee you a job.
Note that there are very many competitors in this market and everyone is marketing themselves, so every time you want to make a resume for a job offer you must ask yourself, why should anyone buy mine? Most hiring managers have a very difficult work to go through a thousand of job applications/resumes to get the good one that suits their company.
Most hiring managers are usually attracted to resumes that stand out, the ones that are well formatted with details that easily capture attention. It is a proven fact that 8 out 0f 10 resumes are usually discarded with just a 1-second glance. Therefore, in order to stand out from the pool of job seekers, you need to market your skills in a manner that really shows you are up to the task, and will be valuable to the company.
We are therefore here to help you create the best resume for yourself. However, before we get into it, it is important to note that there is no specific way of how to write a resume. Basically, the business of writing is not governed by any hard and fast rules.
Simple resume format to help you
We have developed a step by step resume guide on how to do your resume writing easier.
Step 1: Decide on the format
There are three main formats used to create resumes: Reverse-Chronological, Functional and a Combination of both.
1) Reverse – Chronological format
This is the most common simple resume format being used and its one that many people have come across. It is very flexible and anyone can use it regardless of the level of experience.
You can choose this format if:
- You want to show vertical progression in your career
- You want to apply a job field that is similar to your current
- You want to promote your upward career mobility
It is not applicable to people who have the following:
- Want to change their career path
- Have gaps in employment history
- Change jobs frequently
2) Functional Format
Functional format focuses more on your skills and abilities as a job applicant. This is suitable for people with a high level of experience.
It is applicable to the following people:
- If you want to change career path
- If you want to focus on a particular skill
- If you have gaps in your employment history
You cannot use this format if:
- You don’t have transferable skills
- Don’t have experience in that field
- You want to show your upward career mobility
3) Combination of both
This is just merging the two formats mentioned above. It mainly focuses on a particular qualification but still carries a number of professional experiences. This format is mainly used by people with a great deal of experience in a specific industry.
Applicable to people who want to:
- Change career path
- Apply to a field they are master in
- Highlight a skill they have developed in a certain career
Not applicable to:
- Entry level candidates
- People with no experience
- If you want to focus on education
Step 2: How to Order Information
Ideally, the information that you are going to use in your “resume building” is dependable on the format that you will adapt. The following is a guide on the important information that you should have in your resume and the order that they should follow.
- Contact information
This section is quite obvious. You don’t have to include a label such as contact details or contact information; you can go straight away to list your contacts in the following order:
- Name (Should have the largest font on the page, the middle initial is not important)
- Mailing Address
- Telephone Number (Should be a working number, you should ensure that your voicemail message is appropriate)
- Email address (should be an appropriate email address)
- Link to online portfolio (This is optional unless necessary)
- LinkedIn Profile
- Opening statement
There are three main ways of making a resume introduction, these are, career objective, professional profile or a qualifications summary. The main purpose of this opening statement is to attract the attention of the reviewer through highlighting the skills that you possess and the experiences which are relevant to their company.
Companies often expect not only resumes, but also cover letters from the candifates. Sometimes people get confused about who to address cover letter to. If you don’t know the hiring person’s name or gender, it’s best to use the generic greeting (like Dear Sir or Madam or Dear Hiring Manager).
1) Qualifications summary
This is a bullet point list mostly 4-6 points that highlight your career achievements. It is important to shift away from the common statements and list the points in a manner that will capture the attention of the employer.
This is mostly applicable to people with:
- Vast experience in a certain industry
- Applying for a job that needs a complex ability
- Possess some skills
Should not be considered by:
- Someone with no experience
- Entry level candidate
- Someone with no achievements that can be measured
2) Career Objective
This is a statement mainly 2 – 3 sentences that give an overview of one’s skills and experience. It is most applicable to entry-level candidates.
3) Professional Profile
This is a combination of both the qualifications summary and the career objectives.
Should be considered by:
- Someone with some measurable achievements
- An expert in a specific field
This form of opening statement is not suitable for an entry-level candidate with no experience.
It is important to ensure that the opening statement is a true reflection of yourself and clearly focuses on a skill that is required for the job you are applying.
- Professional Experience
This is the vital part of your resume as it requires you to prove the skills that you have stated in the opening statement.
Your work experience should be listed in reverse chronological order. Apart from that, ensure that you only include the experiences that are relevant to the job you are seeking to get. In your experience, be sure to put enough relevant details about it, including the company you worked for, location, the title you held and the dates you were employed there.
The rule that applies in this section is always to include a 3-5 bullet points stating your duties and the achievements. You should also remember to include “professional keywords” in your resume which may be the names of the skills you possess or specific things you know (ex. Physics, Problem Solving or Google Analytics) or your specific qualifications (Math Graduate, UI/UX Designer etc). They will be noticed either by a recuiter or by special software – ATS (applicant tracking system).
A strong bullet point has three parts
- Action verb (should always come first)
- Quantifiable Point
- Specific and relevant duty
Examples
- Trained and supervised two new employees, ensuring they maintain fastidious attention to detail
- Adhered to departmental controls and regulations, maintained ethical conduct at all times
- Education
This section provides the necessary information that makes you suited for the job as it displays the foundation of the skills you have mentioned, your expertise and knowledge in the field. You can switch this section with the professional experience depending on what you consider carries a lot of weight.
For example, entry level candidates will consider having this section come first. Those with a lot of professional experience will deem it fit to have their resume in this order.
The main point to add in this section includes:
- Name of university, college, or technical school. High school can be ignored but should be considered by people who didn’t go to college.
- Location of the schools
- Date of graduation
- Degree(s)
- GPA (You can add your GPA only if it is greater than 3.0, adapt this format: GPA: 3.0/4.0)
- Additional Sections
You have done the major part of your resume. This section provides room for you to add additional information that may boost the strength of your resume. They include:
- Publications
- Certificates/licenses
- Awards/honors/activities
- Technical skills
Step 3: Formatting
This part involves giving the resume some personal touch.
- Number of Pages
Have the number of pages that holds just enough information relevant to the employer. This should be just about a page. Many pages will discourage the reviewer.
- Font and Sizing
Consider the following when selecting the font type of your resume:
- Should be easy to read (should not go below 9pt)
- The same font should be used throughout
- Change font sizes in descending order from the name, header and bullet points
- The fonts should fit the text size chosen
We suggest that you follow the 24, 12, 10 formats. This means that your name should take the 24pt, the body headers should be 12pt and the bullet points should take 10pt. Remember also to use the right colours, by choosing a professionally-looking template.
- Lines
Correct use of lines will make your resume stand out. They split the resume and help the reviewer easily flow with the information. They usually come after the qualification summary or the career objective.
Make sure you don’t put too much page breaks – they hinder readability.
- Margins
This is the first noticeable thing on your resume. Make sure you do it well.
1” margins are the best
Make sure you don’t go below 0.5”
Making Use of Professional Resume Examples
- By going through a professional resume example and templates, you will get to understand how to “build”a perfect resume. Some of the benefits that you may be able to acquire from the examples include:
- The perfection of grammar and vocabulary. When you go through the work resume of another writer, then you will be able to understand how to set your sentences to meet grammar rules. You will also come across new terms that might be useful when it comes to your writing.
- Correction of errors and improving the flow of your work. When you are in a position to read the work of another writer, then you will be able to know how to improve your resume writing to meet the needs of your reader.
- Examples also get to expose you to different formats of writing your resume. When it comes to professional resume writing, then you are likely to come across different formats of styling your work, and through them, you will be able to select the best style to match your occasion.
Our resume writers will gladly help you!
If you are having trouble with your resume, don’t panic, you are the right place. If you want a high-quality resume, one that will guarantee you a job, feel free to contact us.
We are here just for you!
