Tips for Effective Resume Writing

A resume or curriculum vitae (CV) is a document that creates the first impression on prospective employers, without any personal interaction with the applicant. It reflects your attitude towards the work that you are seeking and helps to portray your talents as an efficient source for the organization.

Before starting to write a resume, one must remember that there will surely be many of them that the organization or company is going to receive. You have to write it in such a way that it stands out from the many mediocre and boring ones.

A resume is the means to get an interview call and not the job. So, remember that you do not have to write your life history. Highlight important points only about yourself that would entice the employer to call you for an interview. The rest of the details can be given after you get a call.

While writing it, keep in mind that you are writing an advertisement for a product that is to be sold, and that product is none other than yourself. Your resume should attract the person reading it, tagging you as a prospective candidate.

Planning is very important in the process of writing it. Mention the key points that you would like to highlight. You should remember that you are branding yourself, and focus on the needs of the employer rather than your own.

Begin with a title or heading that describes the kind of job you are considering. This could be followed by your full name and contact details.

This is one of the most important parts of your resume. Here you have to focus on your qualities, abilities, achievements, and skills that would prove beneficial for the job you are applying. Do not make a mistake of listing your abilities and qualities; instead, write them in a sentence form that does not extend more than 2 - 3 lines.

Write them in the reverse chronological order, providing a little description about each. For instance, in case of educational qualifications, you can mention the degree, the passing year, the institution, and your score in percentage.

Likewise, as for the job experiences, you can write the company's name and your position and responsibilities. Do not mention your previous salary and the reason for leaving the company; this could be explained during the interview.

Mention the ones that you have achieved in your professional life. This would help the employer to understand that you are a capable person and can handle responsibilities well.

The last part is mentioning these aspects. Do not bombard it with unwanted details. Remember that each resume is read only for 15 - 20 seconds, and to grab the attention of the reader within this time, it should be short, simple, and precise.

After writing it, do not forget to proofread it thoroughly. You can also ask your friends or family to proofread it and suggest some valuable changes. Choose a font size that is readable and format your data well. Silly mistakes in it can create a bad impression.

Many resumes are rejected because they do not have an appropriate covering letter that introduces your CV. Attaching a covering letter is very essential, even if one is to be sent via e-mail.

There are several minute details to keep in mind while writing it. Instead of writing in paragraphs, use bullet points, to make reading easy. Overall, it should not be more than 1-2 pages. As you are selling yourself through it, there is no place for modesty. However, this does not mean you can bluff or lie. Be honest and mention only correct information.

Writing a resume is an art that takes a lot of time and hard work to design it to be the perfect one. Many consider it a difficult and tiring task and send a very mediocre one. However, it is important to take efforts and write a well-planned one as it reflects the fact that you are hardworking, perfectionist, and very serious about your career.