What Is A Resume?

Resume is a one- or two-page living document that lists your work experience, education, skills, achievements, interests, and more for the jobs you are interested in. For job seekers, resume is a marketing tool that they use to communicate their accomplishments and values to employers. Job recruiters or hiring managers are most likely to ask you for your resume and cover letter along with a job application as a resume contains all the essential information that an employer needs to weigh in to decide whether you are the best fit for a job or not. The best part is you can create as many resumes as you want.

You can fill out all the key information in every section in every resume, just make minor changes and customize it to a particular job opportunity as each job opportunity is different.

What to Put on A Resume?

Every individual’s resume is tad different. Nevertheless, there are a few important sections that should be included in every resume. These common sections are Contact Information, Resume Summary or Objective, Education, Professional History, Key Skills, and Achievements. Arrange these sections and put them in order as per your need. It depends how relevant certain sections are to the job you are applying to. Arrange them accordingly.

Some may not have any work experience, so they can put their qualifications and other volunteer work at top. Some can list their current job at top and older jobs at the bottom of the work experience section. A few other important things that you should consider putting on your resume are your interests, hobbies, certifications, etc.

How to Write A Resume with No Work Experience?

As freshers, writing your first resume can be intimidating as you do not have any or enough work experience to show in your resume. However, you can still create compelling resume by emphasizing your skills and experiences if done in the right way. Graduates or postgraduates should put the education section on the top of their resume, highlighting not only the course and degree name but any other achievements related to their education such as high scorer of the semester, highest GPA, Student of the Month, and more.

Also, include any internship or field work you had done as a part of your course. These all are practical experiences that you must share in your resume. Mention important school or college projects or any other activities that might have helped you hone your skills.

Is There A Standard Format for A Resume?

A well-written and formatted resume opens doors to many job opportunities. You need to choose the format wisely to suit your current situation. There are three main types of formats: Chronological, Functional and Hybrid.

Chronological: It is the most commonly used and standard resume format. It displays the companies you have worked with at the top. It is apt for those who want to remain in the same industry. List your recent work at the top followed by the previous companies moving backwards.

Functional: This format focuses on skills rather than experience. If you are looking to apply for a skills-based jobs, then incorporate this format since it allows you to emphasize more on skills and accomplishments. Hybrid or Combination: This is the format which gives equal weightage to both skills and experience. Every format is different and is used for a specific purpose. Each highlights different professional history. So, it is recommended to choose your resume format wisely.

What Is the Appropriate Length for A Resume?

For students, it is recommended to create a resume of one page maximum. People who have a work experience of five to ten years can create a resume of two pages. But do not go beyond this. Hiring managers may skim your resume in just seconds. It is advisable to keep your resume on point and precise to leave a great first impression.

How to Write A Resume Summary Statement?

A resume summary statement gives you an opportunity to showcase your uniqueness through your skills and accomplishments. It is a short paragraph, consisting of 50 words at the beginning which demonstrates job seeker’s experience of work and professional skills.

The summary statement comes right below the contact information of a job seeker. Make the resume summary so compelling that it entices the recruiters before he delves into the details.

What Skills Should One Include in A Resume?

There are two types of skills that an employer looks in an applicant. These are hard skills and soft skills. Hard skills are teachable and are easy to evaluate. These are often technical skills such as programming, language skills, etc. On the other hand, soft skills are subjective skills and cannot be measured. These skills include communication, leadership, flexibility, teamwork, etc.

You can choose to include both hard skills and soft skills in your resume. At times, you may not have the hard skills relevant to the job, but you can highlight your ability to work in a team which makes you a great team player.

You can either combine both the skills or create a different section for each skill. But do list the skills.

Which

Resume Template

Is the Best to Follow?

There is no such thing called as “best resume template or suitable resume template”, as every employer or recruiter has his or her own preferences.

But you can certainly do your research on the company or industry you want to apply to. Analyze the job and industry type and then choose a resume template. Go for a resume layout that suits a specific job position. For instance, you cannot put your resume on a bright colored and loud layout if you are applying for the position of a computer programmer. You would want to keep it simple and easy-to-understand. Always go for a neat and formatted resume layout. We have provided you professionally designed resume templates to help you put your best foot forward before the employers. Best of luck!