Resume Creation Tips
With so many people eager to find jobs, it is increasingly important that your resume stand out from the rest. You could always spend a couple hundred bucks by having it professionally written, but why sacrifice the dollars if you can do it yourself? It's not as difficult as people may make it seem, especially if you follow these resume creation tips.
First and foremost Microsoft Word is the defacto standard for electronic resume creation. This is definitely the word processor to start with. When creating your resume try limiting your font type to a just a few: Verdana, Times New Roman, Book Antiqua, and Arial are amongst the preferred. While this doesn't matter much for electronic resumes, eventually your resume will be printed. Also, for font size, try 12pt for starters and if necessary go to 14pt, although in most cases 12pt is satisfactory. Remember to keep 2 inch margins on all sides of your resume. Further, when creating your resume try to think of organizing your resume content into "blocks" i.e. introduction, highlights, body and education and certification. It may be wise to convert your finished resume to Adobe PDF as this is growing in terms of popularity. This will require you to pony up a few bucks for Adobe PDF writer as it is not free like Adobe PDF reader.
Another important resume creation tip is to always try to see things from the eyes of the employer. Make sure it's easy for employers and recruiters to find the key points that you're trying to emphasize. Try to make most of the information relevant to the job you are currently applying for. Focus on your abilities that make you a great candidate for the job. These can include your personal qualities, accomplishments, and relevant job skills. Simply telling them the last places you worked is not enough.
One more important resume creation tip is to run a spell checker/grammar checker. This cannot be stressed enough. Even though everyone makes mistakes, and simply making a typo doesn't disqualify you for a job, it will immediately make the employer see you in an unwelcomed light. A different set of eyes can help out too; therefore, have a friend look it over and proofread it for you as well. They may even be able to provide some resume creation tips of their own. Always make your writing is as clear and concise as possible. This makes it easier for the screener to read. Avoid generalities, and use action verbs to describe your skills and past duties.
The content should include your contact information, employment objective, qualifications, education, employment history, and references (generally upon request). Keep things short and to the point. A good resume is usually only a single page long. If you have a lot of great qualifications, skills, and past employers that are relevant to the job, you may make it two pages long. Anything longer than this is risky, although for different industries it is not uncommon for the length of a resume to extend beyond two pages. When writing your introduction, use key terms such as: competent, professional, self-starter, and independent learner.
You will find that by following these simple, yet effective, resume creation tips, your resume will look professional and pleasing to hiring managers and/or Human Resources personnel. First impressions mean everything, and in the business world, your resume will be the first impression you make on a hiring manager, so make sure you put your best foot forward.
