Like any student, who is approaching college graduation, you may have started thinking about finding a job you have been studying for so long. This is a multistep process, and making any movements in this part of your life always seems scary.
For the majority of employers, a well-written resume is a green flag when considering people for the placed position. Composing it properly is a key to getting tones of responses from the vacancies you have applied for, as it is the only characteristic of you your employer gets before meeting you.
However, if your resume writing skills are not that good, you may find yourself languishing for weeks, if not months, before receiving a single answer. That is why it is extremely important to make them want to hire you!
We updated our resume writing recommendations for 2021 with the most up-to-date insider tactics and techniques from actual hiring managers to assist job seekers in writing the finest resumes possible.
This article will teach you all you need to know about creating your own so that you may obtain more interviews continuously.
What Is A Graduate Resume?
A college graduation resume is an admission resume that highlights a recent college graduate’s abilities, accomplishments, and degree. Since recently the majority of college graduates lack professional work experience, they emphasize academic achievements, internships, and transferable skills.
There is nothing bad in trying to find a job, even considering the absence of previous experience, as everyone has started somewhere. Moreover, there are loads of positions that do not require any of them.
Or, employers may be even more interested in the candidates with no experience in order to train them the way the company needs them to work.
You should just know how to fashion your soft skills, such as time-management or communication capabilities, and educational experience, such as internships and research programs, so they appear interesting to people hiring you.
How To Format A Resume
A successful resume has a few key aspects and sections you need to know how to build. Here is a checklist of points you need to include.
#1. Plan your resume
Before even starting to write, have a minute to think about what information you will include in your resume. Your potential employer might not be interested in your chess award when you were seven, right? You need to write out all the relevant information, skills, and achievements that will catch HR’s attention.
#2. Pick the template
Due to the fact that we live in the world of technology, all the companies accept digital resumes in a pdf format. That is why here you can be creative, but do not overdo it — remember that this is a formal document.
Still, it has to look fresh and visually appealing, so it can already endear to the employer even at this point. That is why rather than using basic text editor programs use the ones that allow formatting, like Canva, for instance. You can play with the templates there and choose the one that fits you best.
#3. The outlook
When a recruiter looks at a resume, the layout is the first thing he or she will see. That is why it is important to stick to some general, even unspoken, rules.
First of all, a resume is not an essay or an article. You do not need to have pages of text, describing you. One page is enough, because you are not the only applicant that is why the HRs will not waste their time if they see a whole novel in front of them — they will simply skip it.
Secondly, it has to be readable. The resume headlines should be clear and straightforward, so the needed information can be found easily. The font has normal size (about 11-12) and to be easy to read too, even the basic ones are better than the ones that are too much.
Thirdly, do not overload your resume with text. Make your points short, but still clear enough, organize the space on the page properly, so it is comfortable and easy to read it.
Resume Content
So when you are familiar with the outlook of your resume, it is time to fill it with information about you. Below, we will mention the key sections you need to include.
#1. Contact Information
Writing down your contact information is the most important and the easiest part of your resume at the same time. Even though you are very aware of what to put in there, it is vital to be very careful to avoid any misspellings, as if they happen the company will not be able to even reach you.
Verify that your contact information is valid and up-to-date by checking it twice and even three times.
The information you need to include is your name and surname (obviously), phone number (so the HR can reach you), formal email address (again, to allow the company to contact you), location (to know whether they need to sponsor your relocation).
That’s basically it. However, if the position you are applying to is somehow connected with social media, you can also leave your usernames, so they can visit your page.
#2. Resume Summary
The first impression is always a pass, whether we are talking about personal life or work. A terrible first impression tends to stick with you forever, unfortunately. At least changing someone’s perception of you is quite difficult.
Your well-written CV only receives six seconds of consideration from a potential employer, that is why it is crucial to catch their attention and, even more importantly, maintain it. You can achieve this effect by creating a strong resume summary.
Usually, it is located right around the contact information or below your name and surname. Basically, a resume summary sums up your professional experience. You should include your title and years of experience, as well as one or two notable accomplishments, and most crucially, your intended outcome (generally, what you aim to achieve in this specific company).
The resume objective, however, is more like the description of your motivation for getting the position. For those with little or no job experience, or those undergoing a career transition, a resume objective is a way to go.
#3. Previous Work Experience
A part where you will be describing your overall work experience is the one that will be examined most carefully. Here you sell yourself, describe yourself in the best way possible, present your achievements and past occupations.
Firstly, you need to mention the position you had, because it often conditions the skills you have already obtained. Next comes the company name, sometimes even with a very brief description of their services.
This shows your employer the level of responsibilities you have already had and what they can expect from you. You also need to specify those, so it is clear what the company gets if they hire you. And, lastly, you mention the date. As long as it’s nearly equal, you don’t have to be exact to the day.
#4. Education
Another extremely important part of your resume is the one describing your degree. You are obliged to mention the name of the program you have taken and the time you did it. A lot of experts recommend adding your GPA because it shows the employer the extent to which you are familiar with the field.
However, do it only in case you have a very impressive one (3, 5, and more), otherwise, just omit it. Remember, that the information you provide has to be relevant. That is why if you already have a university degree; simply do not even mention high school.
At the top, mention your most recent educational accomplishments. If you don’t have any job experience, start with your educational background in the very first part of the resume.
#5. Skills
The “Skills” section is also a must-have on your resume. Describe all of your skills and abilities that make you a great candidate for the position. There are two sorts of skills you may mention in your resume: soft skills and hard, and both of them are equally important.
Hard skills are the ones related in any possible way to the position you are applying to, while soft skills are more of the personal qualities, like communication, leadership, or time management. Both should be included on a decent CV.
These five sections are the skeleton of a high-quality resume, however, you may add some of the optional ones (languages, hobbies, personal interests, volunteering) to make it even more impressive.
About the Author!
Amanda Lewis is a professional writer, and this is something she has been doing for many years. Pro-Papers is the place she is currently working at, and she is responsible for creating various types of texts for people, including resumes. Her experience in this field makes her an expert, whose opinion should be valued and taken into consideration.
Comments are closed.