Your resume will decide whether or not you will be called for an interview or get a job. That is why, you should be very careful with your resume, about what you write in it.
Your resume should be clear, brief, and it should highlight your qualifications and achievements so that the recruiter would be interested in having you in their company or firm. It should also highlight your skills and work experience while also giving a hint about what you can accomplish in the future and what you can do for your employers.
Writing your resume is harder than you can imagine and you have to take care of every little thing as well. With the right resume, your chances of getting a good job can arise unexpectedly.
In this article, we are going to illustrate some Do’s and Don’ts for writing a good resume, so you can learn how to write a good resume and what you can include and exclude.
Resume Writing Do’s
Keep Your Resume Clear and Concise
The recruiter would look at your resume for 30 seconds and he will judge you based on that only. So you must write your resume to the point, clear, and concise. This will let them know whether you are qualified enough and right for the job.
Proofread Your Resume Numerous Times
You have to know that there isn’t any grammar, spelling, or any other kind of mistake in your resume. This is why it is ideal that you read your resume multiple times.
You have to make sure your resume is right and there are no mistakes because that can reduce the chances of you getting a job. You can also make anyone else read your resume before applying for a job.
Limit Your Resume to 2 Pages
As we have said earlier, the resume should not be very long or vague, so you have to limit your resume to 2 pages only. Try to include your most recent experience and cut out the job experience that is older than 10 or 15 years. Try to focus on relevant information only.
Tailor Your Resume to Suit the Position You are Applying For
Highlight the qualifications and skills that are relevant for the position you are applying for. You can do that by reviewing the job description or you can also go to the job website as well. The recruiter should get an idea of your skills and qualifications for the position you are applying for. A resume for professions of the future will leave a good impact on the recruiter.
Highlight Your Accomplishments
It would be best in your interest if you can highlight your accomplishments in your past jobs or even academics so the recruiter would know more about your qualifications and skills.
You can highlight your accomplishments either in the “experience” section or “qualifications” section.
Be Honest
You have to be honest in your resume because there are higher chances that you might sound too good to be true to the recruiter. It would be good if you are honest about what you have to offer to the employer and have confidence in yourself.
Qualif Your Achievements
Use some numbers when it comes to your achievements or even experience. Numbers are easy to get and also will be impressive to the recruiter.
Use Simpler Words and Action Verbs
Sometimes the resumes are not directly read by the employers, as the firms or companies hire someone else to do the job. This is why you should use simpler words that are easily understood by anyone. Make sure you use persuasive verbs, such as led, developed, managed, handled, accomplished, leveraged, etc. The language should be simple but impressive.
Include Unpaid Work that Shows Off your Skills
A resume is all about your skills, whether or not you have been paid for those skills in the past. So if you have done any volunteer work which is related to your position, then you should include that as well.
Include and Double Check your Contact Information
Make sure you have added your contact information, such as name, address, email address, contact number, etc. Add this information on the first page and check it multiple times, otherwise, the employer might not be able to contact you.
Resume Writing Don’ts
Don’t Use an Inappropriate Email Address
Make sure that your email address sounds professional and not offensive. Ideally, your email should be based on your name. Exclude any nickname, numbers, or special characters.
Don’t Include Unnecessary Personal Information
Your Resume should be strictly professional and shouldn’t contain any personal information such as height, weight, marital status, religious preferences, political views, or any other personal views or information. You shouldn’t include anything controversial or anything that can lead to potential bias. Never include your social insurance number in your resume.
Don’t Include Picture of Yourself
Although the rules and norms for the pictures in the resume vary in countries. So you need to be aware of whether pictures are acceptable in your resume in your country.
The focus should be on your skills and qualifications and not how you look.
Try Not to Use Too Many Bullets
It’s okay to use a few bullet points to highlight your work experience or achievements, but too many of these can make a bad impression. Each bullet point should be used wisely and make sure that the recruiter can read it easily.
Don’t Use Personal Pronouns
Do not use “I”, “my”, or “me” in the resume rather go with the third person pronouns which seems more professional.
Don’t Make General Statements
The general statements can be a disadvantage as they don’t give any information on your skills or experience to the employer. So make sure you improvise and personalize your experience.
Don’t Simply List Job Responsibilities
Do not write the obvious responsibilities that are clear from the job title, instead try involving job duties and specific examples which would highlight your skills.
Don’t Include Reasons for Leaving your Last Job
The resume should promote you and your skills so it should be entirely positive. Try not to include the reasons for leaving the last job, as it doesn’t add any value to the candidate.
Don’t Include References
References shouldn’t be on the resume, as the employer is reviewing you which means all they want to know is your skills and qualifications. References can be on a different sheet and you can give them if asked.
Don’t Include Hobbies or Interests
Hobbies are not very relevant unless it is related to the position you are applying for. So try not to include your interests or hobbies unless they are relevant.
