Learn how to identify important resume keywords, format your resume, and write each section in this comprehensive guide.
Your resume is a document that encompasses your entire professional journey, showing where you currently are in your career, how you got there, and where you hope to go next. Since it鈥檚 meant to be a concise brief鈥攃ondensed to just one or two pages鈥攖hat can feel like a lot of storytelling for a small space.
To make a resume showing your experiences and goals, you must be strategic with the language, format, and sections you include. In general, there are three broad steps to making your resume:
Identifying keywords and important skills
Choosing a format
Writing each section
In this resume guide, we鈥檒l offer tips and resources to ease you through the process.
If you鈥檙e starting with a blank page, use free customisable templates for either a or a to make your resume in a Google Doc. Log into your Google account and select the 鈥楳ake a copy鈥 prompt.
The key to making an effective resume is keeping your audience in mind. First, consider who the people (and technologies) who will be reading your resume are.
When applying for jobs online, your first audience member will often be an applicant tracking system (ATS). This screening program uses an algorithm to 'read' incoming resumes and sort qualified candidates. After the ATS deems you qualified for a role, a human recruiter鈥攜our second audience member鈥攚ill review your application materials and decide whether to invite you to interview.
Now that we鈥檝e established your likely audience, let鈥檚 take a closer look at how to determine the information the ATS and human recruiters may be looking for and how they will best receive that information.
You can find much information about a role directly from the job description. Within the listed responsibilities and qualifications, you can get a strong sense of the language and experience a successful candidate will have on their resume.
As you read a job description, highlight the action words, keywords, and specific workplace and technical skills mentioned. The ATS is likely programmed to look for the same or similar language as that which appears in the job description, so this analysis can help shape the way you approach writing your resume.
Regarding formatting, there are three common types of resumes鈥攃hronological, functional, and combination鈥攁long with several more specialised options. With your audience in mind, choose the format that best demonstrates how your experience aligns with your desired role鈥檚 job description.
If you鈥檙e applying for jobs online, ATS software is generally programmed to interpret chronological resumes. The software may still identify important keywords in alternative formats but potentially less accurately.
If you鈥檙e unsure of the resume format you should choose, a chronological resume with standard 1-inch margins, black text, and a common font like Times New Roman or Arial is typically a safe choice.
Guided by your keyword list and format, you鈥檙e ready to start filling out your resume sections. You鈥檒l typically want to include sections for your header, work experience, education, and skills, but there are optional sections you can add to amplify the story you want to tell.
At this point, you are almost ready to submit your resume. Before you do, let鈥檚 do one final check. Ask yourself:
Did I write my resume with my audience in mind?
Did I strategically select action words and keywords?
Have I demonstrated my relevant skills and experience?
Are my margins set to 1 inch on all sides?
Is my font easy to read?
Did I include all of the key resume sections?
Did I edit for proper spelling and grammar?
If you can answer 'yes' to all these questions, save your resume as a PDF file with a title that includes your name and 'resume'. Check that the file is saved correctly, then prepare to submit your resume.
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A resume should ideally be no more than two pages unless you write an academic CV. A page may be sufficient if you are a recent graduate or applying for an entry-level role. 鈥
Typically, the time you include on your resume depends on your relevant job experience. You should include the experience you have that is relevant to the role you鈥檙e applying for. However, if you have 10 or more years of work experience, you may be able to shed some of those earlier experiences from your resume to highlight your advanced skill set better. 鈥
It鈥檚 generally not recommended to list your references directly on your resume. Instead, use that space to highlight what makes you a great candidate. As you progress through the hiring process, the hiring manager or recruiter will request your references when they can contact them. 鈥
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