What resume writing tip can get you ahead in 2017?

An effective resume is the foundation of every successful job campaign. Most people only get to write their CV when they are seeking employment but resume writing skills is important for both fresh and advanced graduates who are seeking career advancement

A good resume’s purpose is to summarize the key element of your past experience that you would like employers to consider when you are seeking employment. Therefore a good resume must tell a better version of your career life story.

So today, we are going to learn how to write a good resume so that you increase your chance of landing more job interview. Specifically, in this guide, you will learn what the component of a good resume is.

We will cover:

Common mistakes to avoid when creating your resume

Different resume format and what they are so you know exactly what kind of resume you are creating

What makes a good resume- the exact component of an effective resume

Action verbs to add to your resume so it is effective

A list of checklist to go through after creating your resume.

Let’s get started with the first step-mistakes to avoid when creating a resume.

Common Resume Mistakes People Make When Creating A Resume

A lot of people make generic mistakes when writing their resume. Here are some of the common mistakes you should avoid:

Having one version for all job application- Your resume should not be a one size fit all. Using the same old resume continually without updating- Do not submit the same resume you used 1 year ago for a new job application. Typographical and spelling errors- No need to say more about this but spell check your resume before submitting it. Unexplained gaps- There should not be any unexplained gap on your resume. Adding unnecessary information- An effective resume should not be more than 2 pages so it needs to capture the exact information, a recruiter is looking to see.

Four Common Resume Format

There are several formats for resumes but the 4 common formats are:

Chronological resume.

Functional resume.

Combination resume

Targeted resume

The Component of an Effective Resume

A professional resume should always contain the following:

Bio-data: This includes identification information such as your name, address and current phone number. You may add an additional phone number which must also be a working phone number

Objective: The objective section contains a single phrase expressing the specific type of employment you are seeking and or the principal skills you want to use on the job. Once you have a clear objective, you should use it as a thesis for the remainder of your resume; only information that supports your career objective should be included on the resume.

Education: This section should contain information about your education with the most current stated first. It should include details about your education, including location, degree, date of graduation, major or related course work and grade. If you have attained any higher educational qualification, you do not need to include information about your secondary school.

Employment history: This segment comprises the summary of previous employment to date. Start with your current position and work backward. Make sure you include all employment relevant to your career objective in any way. Internships can be listed either employment or under. Provide the name of the employer, the employer’s location, your job title, dates of employment, and simple verb phrases to summarize your main activities on the job (see “action verb” list). Whenever possible quantify and qualify data with specific details and statistics that illustrate your potential.

Activities/Honors/ Skills/ Publication: Additional areas that may be included on the resume if space allows. List all major activities and awards as well as any skills that are relevant to your career objective. These can show leadership, organization, critical thinking, teamwork, self-management, initiative and influencing others.

References: There is no need to list your references on your CV. Rather; the transcripts can be listed as “available upon request”. (Make sure you have references, phone numbers, and business addresses ready on a separate sheet whenever you go to an interview.)

Important Resume Writing Tips:

Below are the key tips to remember when writing your resume.

Personal information like height, weight, sex, and marital status should not be listed on the resume. Such factors are irrelevant and cannot legally be considered in employment decisions. Remember to keep all information on the resume concise and clear. A one-page resume is best, although people with extensive experience or advanced degrees may have to use two pages. Be scrupulously careful when you proofread: Some employers will refuse to consider candidates who submit resumes with spelling or typographical errors. Make your resume for one reader- Identify who is going to read your resume and know what they are looking for. Tailor it to meet their need Make it easy to read- Format your resume so it is easy to read. Point out your accomplishment- Employers want to know what value you can add not how long you have worked or what you do. Highlight your accomplishment and quantify them

ACTION VERBS to Use on Your Resume’s JOB DESCRIPTIONS

Words are important when writing your CV, especially when describing your previous job responsibilities.

In order to make your CV stand out, you have to use verb phrases. Imagine you are telling someone about your job. You usually will begin a sentence with “I. . . . ” For example, “I supervise ten employees. On the resume, instead of starting with “I”, you simply omit it and use only the remaining verb phrases to describe the work you do e.g. “Supervise ten employees or organize mass mailings.”

If you are having difficulty finding the right verbs to describe your work, choose from the following list:

accomplished achieved acquired acted

adapted addressed adjusted administered

advanced advised allocated analyzed

applied appraised approved arranged

assembled assigned assisted attained

audited author automated balanced

brought budgeted built calculated

catalogued chaired changed clarified

coached collected communicated compared

compiled completed composed computed

computerized conceptualized conceived concluded

conducted conserved consolidated contained

continued contracted contributed controlled

coordinated corrected corresponded counseled

created critiqued cut decreased

delegated decided defined delivered

demonstrated determined designed developed

devised diagnosed directed dispatched

distinguished distributed diversified drafted

edited educated eliminated enabled

encouraged engineered enlisted established

ensured estimated evaluated examined

executed expanded expedited extracted

fabricated facilitated familiarized fashioned

finalized focused forecast formulated

founded gathered generated graded

guided handled headed up identified

illustrated implemented improved increased

indoctrinated influenced informed initiated

innovated inspected instructed insured

integrated interpreted interviewed introduced

invented investigated kept launched

lectured led made maintained

managed manufactured marketed mediated

moderated modified monitored motivated

negotiated observed operated ordered

organized originated outsold overhauled

oversaw participated performed persuaded

planned prepared presented presided

prioritized processed produced programmed

projected promoted proposed provided

publicized published purchased recommended

reconciled recorded recruited reduced

referred regulated rehabilitated related

remodeled repaired reported represented

researched restored restructured retrieved

reversed reviewed revised revitalized

saved scheduled schooled screened

selected serviced set shaped

screened selected simplified skilled

sold solidified solved specified

stimulated streamlined strengthened suggested

summarized supervised surveyed systemized

tabulated taught tested trained

translated traveled trimmed updated

upgraded validated worked wrote

2017 Resume Checklist

Once you create your resume, you want to make sure that it passes the following checklist.

Does the overall appearance make an employer want to read it? Is the layout professional? Is the information organized so it is easy to read? (If the employer just skims through it, would their eyes pick up the key points?) Is it well-typed (Do not mix print styles. Important titles should be underlined. Use bold and capital letters only when appropriate.) Is it printed on good quality paper? (Remember to avoid colored paper; it does not copy well.) Are all words spelled correctly? (Have your resume proof-read by a valued colleague.) Is the writing style clear? (Do not use jargon.) Do statements begin with action verbs and communicate accomplishments and results? Are verb tenses consistent? (Have your resume proof-read by someone who is good in English.) Is the employment objective well-written and clear? (Tailoring your resume to the job you are applying for increases your success rate.) Is the major discipline explained in brief if it is one that the employers may not understand? Are employment experiences listed in reverse chronological order? Do your strengths stand out? Is it easy to get a clear picture of your qualifications? Does your resume stress accomplishments and skills more than responsibilities and duties? Does your resume sell your problem-solving abilities? Does your resume show volunteer work that might be relevant to the position sought? Did you account for all periods of time? (Make sure there is no employment gap.) Has irrelevant information been eliminated? Could your resume tell the same story if it were shortened? Can the same information be limited to one page?

Recruiters look at hundreds of CV today but by following these simple tips, you can make your own stand out.