How to write a resume: a step-by-step guide
A resume is one of the most important documents you should have when searching for a job. It aims to communicate your qualification for a position with your experience and skills and includes relevant details about you that your potential employer needs to know before employing you, such as qualifications and background. In most cases, it is the first impression employers get about you, so it must be well-written, easy-to-read, clear and direct.
In writing a compelling resume, there are several best practices and tips that you can follow to stand out from other candidates. This article contains a step-by-step guide for writing a resume.
Step 1: Write your name and contact information
This information at the top of your resume introduces you to the employer. It includes email address, phone number, home address, etc. Make sure your name is visible and headlines the resume with bolded fonts. You should also add a link to your portfolio if you’re applying for a creative position.
Step 2: Write your resume objective or summary
This comes after the contact information and serves as the introductory paragraph for your resume. You can write a professional objective or a resume summary in this section. Resume experts at UK Careers booster advise that you use an objective statement to explain your career goals, and it is ideal if you have limited professional experience. While you can use a resume summary with active language when you have relevant skills and work experience.
Step 3: Write your work experience section
This is an important section of your resume. You should use the reverse-chronological order to write your work experience. Start by writing your most recent job and write backward, including the company’s name and period you worked there, with short descriptions of your achievements/job description. You can also include the growth opportunities and relevant knowledge you gathered at each company.
Here are some best practices for writing your work experience section:
- Use numbers to highlight your achievement wherever possible.
- Include keywords from the job description
- Use action verbs to describe your achievements and make a stronger impact
- Be brief and concise. Include only relevant information.
Step 4: List your hard skills and soft skills in the skill section
The skill section is the part of your resume where you mention the skills that make you the ideal candidate for the job. Ensure to read the job description again in search of keywords or skills you have used successfully in the past. This may include both soft (interpersonal) skills and hard (technical) skills and transferrable skills necessary when switching industries or careers. When listing your skills, start with the most relevant ones to the job and skills that have licenses or certifications.
Step 5: Include your educational history.
This is a valuable section of your resume, especially if your work experience is limited or you’re transferring across industries. Some information you can include are:
- Relevant coursework
- GPA (if it’s above 3.5)
- Participation in organizations or clubs
- Previous leadership positions
- Awards, certifications or achievements
A best practice for writing your education section, as mentioned by some of the best professional resume writers at resumesplanet.com, is to write the institution’s name, area of study or degree, and dates of attendance. If you’re applying for a mid-level to a higher-level position, you can provide other information except for the school’s name and date of attendance. This will give you more room for your professional experience in your resume.
In this section, you can also include licenses or certifications relevant to the role you’re applying for. Other information or credentials that don’t directly relate to or aren’t relevant to the job description should be left out.
Step 6: Consider additional sections
If there’s still enough white space at the end of your resume, you should consider adding another section, such as the interest or achievements section. This will help supplement your resume if it’s too short, especially if you have limited educational or work experience. However, you must ensure that the interests or achievement you’re listing supports the career goals you’re seeking and is relevant to the job you’re applying for.
Step 7: Proofread your resume
This is the last stage of writing your resume. You must proofread it and ensure that it lacks grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors. You can read it backward to help identify some of your errors in a different order. You can also ask some of your friends, colleagues, family members and professors to help you review it. Seeking a third-party opinion can help you find errors you may have overlooked.
If the resume exceeds one page, look for how to shorten or consolidate each section by removing unnecessary or filler words. A two-page resume is acceptable if you’re applying for a high-level position or in industries such as academia or healthcare.
Conclusion
Your resume is important to secure a job, but it must be well-written. The steps mentioned in this article are ideal for writing a compelling resume.
