Business writing tips / Resume Writing Tips

Resume writing tips

In modern business environment, no one job seeker can avoid the process of writing a resume (or a CV). Resume is an advertisement of a person, who is selling him/herself (or rather his or her resources) to the employer. To sell yourself, you need to present yourself effectively during the interview with the potential employer. And to invite you for an intereview, your potential employer should choose your resume from the piles of rivals' resumes. Thus, the main purpose of every resume is to get you an interview.

Effective resume will make you stand out from the crowd, which would most probably result in an interview invitation. Therefore, having a good and professionally developed resume would significantly boost your chances of getting a job, provided that you support the contents of the resume in private in a professional manner. Being able to write an effective resume is extremely important for any business person. Here, we offer basic resume writing tips for your convenience.

Change your resume for every employer

The most common mistake applicants and job seekers make is having their standard resume sent to the companies they want to work for. In other words, they send the exact same resume to all potential employers. This is the worst howler! Please remember, that every employer requires a separate resume.

Resume writing tips

1. The first step in developing your resume is to determine your objective. You should clearly define you sphere of activity. You must analyze your skills and abilities and determine in which field or industry you would want to work. Objectives can and must differ with different industries, job positions, and companies. Even when sending your resume to competitor companies, your objective could be changed in accordance with the company.
   Example of an objective: Contribute to the company by uncovering the most of my communication, collaboration, and analytical skills. Another example would be, To obtain a position of marketing director within 2 years. The first example shows an abstract goal, while the second one is specific and precise. Both types are acceptable, but again, every employer requires unique approach.
2. You must be aware that human resource managers are usually short of time. If you resume is longer than 2 pages, most managers would not even open it. Your resume - just like any other printed ad - has at most two minutes to make an good impression. These minutes define whether you will get an interview and join the company, or get a decline. Thus, be specific and concise. This is important. Make your resume logically structured and easy to read and scan (look through). Avoid long paragraphs and organize your points in listing where you can. Do not overload your resume with irrelevant information, exaggerations, or technical terms. Just ask yourself about every word of your resume, 'does this word carry significant sense?' and 'can I remove this word and preserve the main point?' Whenever you can, remove the unnecessary words or sentences. One to one and a half pages is the best length for a resume.
3. Resume content:
   • contact data; name, address, phones and e-mail at the top
   • state your objective; precisely name the interested position; be specific and state a unique objective for every company
   • if you are a student or an alumnus without significant working experience, list your educational background: start with a recent educational establishment proceeding to the oldest; do not forget to mention your academic achievements, sertificates, degrees, honors, etc.
   • work experience (if you have it); briefly describe the titles of occupied positions, dates of employment, names of organizations and your basic duties, responsibilities, and achievements; start with the most recent and continue to the oldest
   • other relevant information: special skills and abilities, voluntary participation in relevant activity, etc.
   • provide some references if you can
4. In the final stage of resume writing process proofread your draft. It is obvious that grammar or spelling mistakes in the resume are intolerable. False information in your resume will eliminate any chances for a successful career. Do your best to provide a positive impression. Emphasize your strong points and tailor them to the needs of every employer.

More resume writing tips

1. Frequent resume tricks (or mistakes)
2. Resume organizational patterns
3. Search company journal for "resume"