Writing an effective and creative resume that gets results can be a daunting task. But if a few of the simple things are taken care of, your chances of being shortlisted for the interview enhance significantly. Here are a few of the tips that will be immensely beneficial for any candidate, irrespective of the industry or organization they are applying to.
Be Clear: Determine your job search objective prior to writing the resume and structure the content of your resume around that objective only. If you write your resume without having a clear objective in mind, it will come across as unfocussed to those who read it.
Purpose of resume: You don’t need to go into detail about every accomplishment. Strive to be clear and concise. The purpose of your resume is to generate enough interest in you, to have an employer contact you for an interview.
No grammatical mistake: The language should be simple; the flow of language should be simple and grammar absolutely correct. The format must be chosen carefully and consistency should be maintained throughout. Use a font size no smaller than 10 point
Use Bullets: To improve the presentation and comprehension, use bulleted sentences. Resumes are read quickly (a resume gets an attention of 30 sec on an average) this bulleted sentence format makes it easier for someone to quickly scan your resume and still absorb it. Take the time to determine which bullets most strongly support your job search objective. Put those strong points first where they are more apt to be read.
No irrelevant points: Accent the positive and leave off negatives and irrelevant points. Lead with your strengths. Focus on the duties that support your objective.
Explore your knowledge: Rather than going into depth in one area, use your resume to highlight your breadth of knowledge. That is, exploring your knowledge on resume helps the interviewer to know about you more closely.
Mention Reporting: If you have reported to someone important such as a vice president or department manager, say so in your resume. Having reported to someone important causes the reader to infer that you are important.
Character Limit: Limit the length of your resume to 1-2 pages. Help the reader to scan your resume efficiently and effectively.
Take suggestion: Since you are so close to your situation, it can be difficult for you to hit all your high points and clearly convey all your accomplishments. Have someone review your job search objective, your resume, and listings of positions that interest you.
Remember; Use your resume to obtain an interview, not a job. Most prospective employers decide whether or not they want to interview you after reading the first few lines.