Do You Have a Resume Disorder?
It’s absolutely normal to feel a little jumpy when you have to write a resume for a job. It makes total sense because the resume is the very first insight into your academic and professional record. It’s just as important to the recruiters because they definitely don’t want to hire someone who is not worthy of the job.
There are two types of candidates applying for a job. The ones who are writing their first resume and know nothing about the basic guidelines and the ones who have been writing resumes and are missing out on some really essential tips and rules.
Every candidate, first timers and the experienced ones, should try to go through sample resumes on the internet. First timers can have a look at what a resume looks like, the format and headings etc whereas the experienced can update their formats with the new ones. They can also look for other corrections that they need to make to their resumes to keep it updated.
Now that you know where to begin, it’s time you put yourself in the recruiters’ position and think like them. What would you want to read if you were going through a resume for a specific job? What about the points that you definitely wouldn’t want to read? What are the x-factors you’re looking for? What characteristics do you think are required for the job?
If you do a little self-screening you’ll see how much easier it gets to keep yourself focused. Now that you know where you stand and what your recruiter is probably looking for, start matching your achievements and capabilities with the requirements of the job. You can start writing whatever you think is reasonable and remember to mention your qualifications, achievements and past job experiences in reversed chronological order.
Reversed order is important because your recruiter will start from the top all the way down to the end. So he/she is most interested in your recent data. On average a recruiter gives about 15 to 20 seconds to a resume. So it’s important you stay on track and fill in data that is relevant to the job description.
Staying on track doesn’t mean you should start cutting down on your achievements drastically, it just means you should state them precisely. Always use bullets because it saves time and energy for both the recruiter and you. Paragraphs and never ending lines are a big no for a recruiter.
You want the job, agreed but a recruiter’s job is to go through a thousand resumes and 15 to 20 seconds is all that is humanly possible. But this shouldn’t add to your worries because you’re not the only one who gets a quick read, it’s just how it works.
If you understand these tips and rules, you’re good to go. All you’ve to do is summarize everything that is easy to read and comprehend. Don’t be full of yourself; rather tell them how you can help them. It’s better to not talk much about your previous job unless it’s relevant to the new one. Keep it simple and don’t make up stuff. Last, if nothing works, hire a professional resume writer that will do it for you. We’re not all the same, and some of us are not so good with words so there’s no harm getting some help.
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