When applying for work, one of the keys to getting the job is your resume.
This is an invaluable piece of document that you should polish if you want to make a good impression on potential employers.
This is an invaluable piece of document that you should polish if you want to make a good impression on potential employers.
As your resume is the first point of contact between you and an employer, it would be best to have a tailor-made resume for each target job that you are applying, an article of the financial site Money Crashers said.
Here are some tips on writing a great resume based on an article from Money Crashers:
(1) Keep your text format easy to read.
Employers have to go over the applications of so many jobseekers at a limited time. This cuts your time to grab their attention significantly, estimated by some experts at 30 seconds until they throw your resume to the shredding pile.
To prevent your resume from being ignored, use a uniform format and size for all the text of your resume and make sure to stick to basic fonts like Arial and Times New Roman.
If you need to highlight something, use a slightly larger text font or the bold function to relay to the reader that the text is important.
(2) Use action verbs.
Describe your work experience with strong action verbs instead of the passive tense, ie. "boosted annual sales by 25 percent."
This gives the reader a specific idea on what you did for your former employer. It also makes it easier for the employer to decide to hire you compared to a general and passive statement.
(3) Tailor your resume to the job's needs.
Make a master resume containing all your work experience, skills, and other information needed for job hunting.
However, when you have zeroed in on a job, edit the master resume, and cut unnecessary and irrelevant information.
When an employer browses your resume, he will see a good skill set match immediately.
(4) Choose references wisely.
When asked to provide references, list down people who you actually worked with and not just friends who have no idea how you perform at work.
Not only does this save time and effort, it also ensures that your friend doesn’t stutter when asked difficult work-related questions about you.
(5) Avoid acronyms.
Even the smartest person doesn’t know everything. Make sure that before you use an acronym, explain it first and place the acronym in parenthesis after the full word.
After this point, you can start using the acronym since you have already established its definition. This will prevent confusion on the part of the employer.
(6) Stick to a one-page resume.
This should be done by fresh graduates or people who have less than five years of working experience. Having a long resume turns off potential employers.
Remember to keep your resume specific, concise, and straight to the point. Make sure that you keep all the important and relevant information all together.
(7) Check, check and check.
Don’t just double check your resume, triple – even quadruple check it. Have it checked by another person too.
This ensures that your resume is free from grammatical and punctuation errors which are not only embarrassing but even is a reason for not getting hired.
(8) Keep it real.
Don’t exaggerate your work experience, skill set, education, and achievements on your resume.
It might look good at first but sure enough, you will be questioned about these. Once your cover has been blown, you definitely won't land the job.
Be proud of who you are and be honest.
(9) Stay focused.
Keep your resume on track by not adding irrelevant details such as hobbies or sports unless the job is related to it.
Doing this will make your resume look clean, concise and specific.
(10) Don’t make excuses.
Honesty is the best policy. This stands true whether you lost your job, have been unemployed for quite a while, or have a criminal record.
It’s best to admit the truth and your shortcomings rather than cover up for things with excuses.
The employer will also see you in a more mature light. This may even be a turning point to get hired.
Source: GMA News
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