A resume is the most important aspect in a job application process. Individuals submit a resume if they want to work for a company and don’t just walk into an office and demand for a job.
Resumes are crucial for a person to be hired and play a big role in the job application process. In this article, we will be helping you create a detailed resume that will increase your chances in getting hired for that dream job you have been longing.
Listed below are the elements of a resume. Make sure to include all the elements when creating your own resume so that you will not only create a detailed one but also increase your chances of getting hired.
1. Work experience: Work experience is one of the most important elements in a resume. Sometimes, employers base their decision in hiring an employee based on his or her work experience alone. Be specific when writing down previous or current work experience which includes the name of the company, dates worked for the company (month and year), and position. Take a look at some basic resume examples as reference.
2. Educational background: Educational background is also an important element in a resume. Employers will also be looking at the applicant’s educational background if they decide to hire the applicant, although it is rare for employees to hire job applicants based solely on what course or program they took in college. For the educational background, include the name of the university or school where you graduated and the inclusive dates of attendance (for example June 2013 – March 2017).
1. Skills: If work experience and educational background bear an important role in a resume, skills are also as important. Skills can either be competencies or technical skills. Competencies lean toward behavioral attributes (teamwork, attention to detail, working under pressure, etc.) while technical skills refer to the skills or knowledge required to perform specific tasks (using a computer, operating an equipment, etc.). You may also see corporate resume examples.
2. Contact information: When an employer will be looking at a resume, the first thing he or she will be looking at will be the contact information such as the contact number and email address. Make sure to input the contact number at the first page of the resume.
3. Photo: Sometimes, job applicants get caught up with all the other details in the resume that one of the most basic element is omitted by accident—the applicant’s photo. The photo, similar to the contact information, should also be listed in the first page. The applicant should be wearing formal or in business casual attire for the photo to be used in the resume.
4. Character references: Character references are listed in the last page of the resume (if the resume exceeds more than one page). Character references should be persons in which the job applicant has close previous working relations. If the applicant is a fresh graduate from high school or college, then he can list the names of his instructors or professors.
Listed below are some tips to remember so that you can create an excellent resume layout:
1. Make sure all the information is correct: Before you print out the resume and submit the resume to potential employers, make sure the information you input are all correct. Even in a single error can result in your application being ignored and will definitely significantly decrease your chances in getting hired. Try to focus on the contact information such as your contact number and email address as this will be the first information in which potential employers will be looking at. Making a resume outline first would be recommended so that you will be guided accordingly.
2. Photo at the right-hand corner, contact information on the left: Both the photo and contact information play an important role in a resume. That is why the proper placement of the photo and contact information should be observed—photo on the right-hand corner while contact information should be on the left-hand corner. The photo and contact information should also be listed on the top of the resume’s first page. As previously mentioned, a recent photo should be used and contact information should be updated.
3. Summary, skills, and work experience should be on the first page: Aside from the photo and contact information, other information that you should be included in the resume should be summary, skills, and work experience. The summary is listed after the photo and contact information and should only be two sentences at most. Skills and work experience should also be listed in the first page as employers will be looking at these information. Other information can be listed in the second page of the resume.
Personal details is optional: Personal details such as your age, birth date, name of your parents and siblings can be included but it will be your decision if you include those information or not. Employers will not mind if you include those information in the resume, but most likely they will ask personal questions during the interview.
Follow these steps so that you can create a resume without any problems:
1. Gather the information to be written down: Before you actually start writing the resume, you first need to gather information that you will be incorporating in the resume. Among the information that you will be gathering includes your educational background, skills, work experience, and personal information. Take note to never add false information in the resume as employers will notice this eventually and will put your application in danger.
2. Gather a recent (yet formal) photo: While gathering the information you will include in the resume, you might as well gather the photo that you will be placing in the resume. The photo that you will be using should be one where you are wearing a suit, blazer, button-down shirt, or collared shirt. Never simply wear a shirt for the photo as it might decrease your chances of proceeding in the job application process.
3. Write the resume following a standard format: After gathering the necessary information as well as gathering the photo that you will be attaching in the resume, it’s now time to write the resume. The standard format pertains to the placement of the photo and the text. As previously mentioned, your photo and contact information should be placed on the uppermost part of the resume’s first page. Other information such as the summary of the resume, skills, and work experience should also be placed in the first page. Educational background, personal information, and character references can be placed in the second page if they won’t fit in the first page.
4. Edit and revise if necessary: Before you print out the resume, double-check for errors (if there are any). Be careful since you will be submitting the resume to a number of employers. There will be a high chance these potential employers will not be contacting you if you placed the wrong contact information in the resume.
Choose from the following US paper sizes below when you will be creating a resume:
A resume, also called a curriculum vitae (CV) is a document that summarizes your work experience, education, skills and achievements for a prospective employer.
A resume basically helps an individual get a job. Resumes are submitted to companies, which are then reviewed by the people working for the organization (specifically the human resource department). Job seekers need a resume just to be even considered for the job application process, so the importance of resumes cannot be undermined. You may also see hr resume examples.