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I want you to ask your parents this. Ask them how easy was getting a job during the 70’s, 80’s, and even the 90’s. Then ask them to compare the level of difficulty to now. I can almost guarantee your parents favoring the good old days. A reason why is because jobs were so vastly available then, and a college diploma at that time meant a golden ticket to a permanent, stable, full-time job. College tuitions were also cheap at that time as well. But in today’s 21st century, the level of competition in the job market skyrocketed and even those with college degrees are struggling.
In a competitive world today, we have young high schoolers to professionals searching for the secret that would land their dream job. Some might guess the secret to success is being charismatic, witty, or even just being academically astute. But in today’s world, there is one thing that is more important than all of those qualities.
Having a polished, organized resume. The market is all about advertising and you are the product.
But having a resume is one thing, what really defines a good resume from a bad one? With studies showing that 8 out of 10 resumes are being discarded with only a 10-second glance by your employer, we need to be sure that your resume stands out from the rest.
Selecting the Best Template:
Choosing the right template is often understated. With only a few seconds to spare, you need to make sure your resume captivates the employer’s attention. With that being said, here’s what you need to know about selecting the right template.
Knowing Your Audience
When choosing the right template, an imperative thing to keep in mind is who your audience is. If you plan to submit your application online, that means you need a resume that’s easy to read for the applicant tracking systems (ATS) and the employer. That means three things:
- Non-standard fonts.
- No excessive formattings.
- No unnecessary flashy elements.
Contact Information:
Your contact information is crucial in letting your employer get to know you more. This should be on top of your page as this will be the next thing your employer will look at.
- Name (Large font)
- LinkedIn (If you have)
- Telephone Number
- Email (Make sure the name of your mailbox is appropriate)
Professional Experience:
Professional resumes are consistent and organized. For example, if you use bullet points to make a list of your duties for a specific job, be sure to use bullet points to describe your duties in the other job position as well. Also, be consistent with the font, font size, and style. Go for a legible, professional font style.
Some good font styles are:
- Georgie,
- Bell MT,
- Goudy Old Style,
- Times New Roman
If you’re new, choosing a chronological format also is highly recommended as it is suitable for any level of experiences. If that applies to you, be sure to have your job experience listed with the most recent one first.
When writing the description for each job experience, be sure to use an active tone with the action verb first.
For example, If I was a barista at Starbucks:
Crafted hot and cold beverages and ensuring that customers received the best customer service. I also trained 3+ partners in manning the register, crafting drinks, and customer support.
Education:
This part of the resume will exhibit the level of education you achieved. Be sure to highlight the achievements and involvements you had during your school years such as clubs, teams, awards, GPA (if it’s high).
Here are some main points:
- Name and location of your high school and college.
- Expected year of graduation.
- Degree(s).
Additionals:
Here, you can display the skillsets you have, languages you know, organizations you are with, and volunteer and professional affiliations.
Some examples are:
Skills: SEO, Content Marketing, HTML, Digital Marketing, Email Marketing.
It is always recommended that your resume should be limited to one page as an entry-level applicant. Having too many things on your resume will often give the look that it’s messy, congested, and time-consuming. Remember that employers take seconds to scan your resume before they decide to keep or discard it. Often many applicants have multiple job experience that they would like to write in their Professional Experience category. In that case, it’s best to choose the experience that best applies to the job you are applying for.
For example, if you were applying to Starbucks and you have to choose between your experience at a restaurant or a private tutor for your cousin, the former would be the better choice to put in your resume.
Here is a reference for what a good resume looks like.
4risto.com
