Why a Strong Resume Matters
Your resume serves as your personal marketing tool, offering a snapshot of your professional journey. In today’s competitive job market, a well-crafted resume can be the key to securing interviews and advancing your career. Learning the basics of a resume is essential for anyone looking to land more interviews and make a strong first impression. In this guide, we’ll break down what you need to include, what to avoid, and how to stand out in today’s competitive job market.
Key Components of a Resume
Contact Information
Ensure your contact details are current and professional, including:
- Full Name
- Phone Number
- Professional Email Address
- City and State (not full address)
- LinkedIn Profile or Personal Website (if applicable)
Important Note: Avoid placing contact information in headers or footers, as some Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) may not read them correctly.
Professional Summary
A brief, impactful statement (2–3 sentences) highlighting your experience, skills, and career objectives. Tailor this section to align with the specific role you’re targeting.
Skills Section
Highlight a mix of hard and soft skills relevant to the position. Ensure these skills are reflected in your work experience to validate your proficiency.
Work Experience
Understanding the basics of a resume can help you tailor your experience. List your professional history in reverse chronological order, focusing on achievements rather than just duties. Use quantifiable metrics to demonstrate impact.
Education
Include your highest degree first, followed by other relevant certifications or training. Mention honors or distinctions if applicable.
Common Resume Mistakes to Avoid
Avoid these pitfalls to ensure your resume stands out:
- Generic Content: Tailor your resume for each application to showcase relevance.
- Spelling and Grammar Errors: Proofread meticulously to maintain professionalism.
- Unprofessional Email Addresses: Use a simple, professional email format.
- Overly Complex Formatting: Stick to clean, ATS-friendly designs.
- Listing Duties Instead of Achievements: Focus on accomplishments that demonstrate value.
Tips for Writing a Standout Resume
- Formatting: Use a clean, balanced format that is compliant with Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS). You can find some samples here.
- Keywords: To gather a list of relevant keywords and phrases to boost your success against ATS and catch employers’ eyes, research 2-3 target job postings. Thoroughly review the job description. What are the requirements of the job? What types of skills are they looking for in the role? What phrases and words are repeated multiple times? Include those!
- Be Proud: Don’t be afraid to showboat a little! Include metrics and specific examples of your successes to help catch the eyes of employers and fully demonstrate your value!
- Before: Supported business development to increase team size and margins.
- After: Scaled an early-stage start-up from 12 employees, $5K in monthly recurring revenue, and <20% gross processing margin, to 30 employees, $115K monthly revenue, and >70% margins in 12 months.
- Verbs: Leverage a wide range of strong verbs! Phrases such as “responsible for” and “helped” are often overused and don’t convey confidence. Capture the readers’ attention by using unique and powerful verbs.
- Length: Don’t fret too much about keeping your resume one page. That standard is old and irrelevant. The length of your resume can vary based on various factors, such as years of experience, job targets, and more. Simply put, resumes can be one to two pages, with one-page resumes favoring entry-level candidates, those with few roles over their careers, and those with less than 5-7 years of experience. However, there are exceptions!
Final Thoughts About Resume Basics
No matter your industry, the basics of a resume remain consistent. Be sure to remember that a strong resume is more than a list of jobs; it’s a strategic document that tells your professional story in a way that resonates with employers. Keep it focused, tailored, and easy to read.
Need help crafting a resume that gets noticed? Learn more about our professional resume writing services.
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