Everybody at some point in their lives will have to write a resume/CV. The most important thing to remember when doing so is that your resume/CV will convey an image of you to the person reading it; it creates that all important first impression.
A resume/CV can easily be discarded for any number of reasons – it’s too long or too short, the print is too small or too large, coloured paper instead of white paper has been used, the quality of the paper or the quality of the print is poor, the layout of the important details is difficult to understand or the wrong font has been used – and I haven’t even got to the content yet!
Don’t Waffle!
People are busy, people who are looking for new employees are often very busy. They do not have time to read through pages and pages of irrelevant information about the menial tasks you have performed in your previous jobs or your thoughts on the political talk of the day. They just want to know what you have done and how well you can do it.
Keeping your resume/CV down to one side of an A4 sheet of paper should be your ultimate goal. Doing so is likely to encourage a sigh of relief from the person reading your resume/CV and it will show you have a grasp on the expectations of a prospective employer.
How to layout a resume/CV
At the top of your resume/CV you should include all of your personal and contact details – name, address, email address, telephone number.
In the next section – the profile – you should include a short paragraph about yourself. This should contain as much information as necessary in as few words as possible and it should be written with the prospective employer in mind. If you apply for jobs in slightly different areas using the same resume/CV template, this profile section should be changed to ensure it suits the job being applied for.
The third section should detail your current and previous positions in chronological order starting with your current or last job. This is a section that needs a lot of editing and should be kept short. Using bullet points allows you to summarise the important areas and helps you to write short, punchy sentences. If you have a long employment history you would do well to trim it down to your last few jobs and not include every job in you have ever had in this section.
Include your employers name, the dates you started and finished working for each employer, the title of your role and the most important parts of the role.
Remember, you are trying to gain an interview so do not waffle. If the prospective employer likes what he or she reads in your resume/CV and brings you in for an interview, you will be able to elaborate on each point at that time.
In the fourth section you should include details of your education, qualifications, training and achievements. Keep this information short and truthful and tailor the layout to the job you are applying for. If you have a list of qualifications and achievements, you may like to change the order a little to suit the application.
Lastly, include your personal details and interests. You may think your interests are not important, but they are. When you apply for a job your personal attitude and interests could be taken into consideration. Employers do not like to employ people who will not fit in with the existing regime and will often employ someone with fewer qualifications if they are likely to fit in better with the current set up.
If you have got this far and your resume/CV spreads over more than one side of an A4 sheet of paper you need to go back and edit it. Really. Keep everything on side of an A4 sheet of paper.
Top Tips for writing a resume/CV
I have been on both sides of the fence when it comes to resumes/CVs and here are my top tips:
- Keep it short – try to fit everything onto one side of an A4 sheet of paper
- Tailor it to the job you are applying for
- Check spelling and grammar
- Choose a font that is easy to read such as Arial or Verdana
- Use bullet pointed lists like this one
- Check spelling and grammar
- Don’t waffle – keep to the important stuff only
- Do not include a photograph of yourself
- Do not include career details from more than 10 years ago unless absolutely necessary
- Include your major achievements
- Do not be afraid to sell yourself
- Check spelling and grammar
You may have noticed I have included “Check spelling and grammar” three times. I can’t emphasize enough how important it is to check your spelling and grammar before sending off your resume/CV. All computers have spell checkers so there is no excuse for having spelling mistakes in your resume/CV. For many employers spelling is paramount – if you have spelling mistakes on your resume/CV it is more than likely going to end up in the bin as it highlights a possible trait in the prospective employee – laziness!
Here are some videos from YouTube which offer more advice on how to write a resume/CV.
What are your top tips when it comes to writing a resume/CV?
