How to write a resume
How to write a resume? After years spent in the school bench, the time comes to look for a job. We already have certain knowledge, abilities, experience.
We need to present all this to our potential employer. For this we use a resume-Curriculum Vitae. How to make our resume attractive and make us stand out from many other candidates? Here are some of the most important rules.
Filter the content.
It’s wonderful that you started your education already in the nursery, and along the way there was still kindergarten, elementary, middle and high school. And also college. Two majors. And a course in samba, salsa, knitting and the Swahili language. Your employer doesn’t need to know this, however.
In the Education section, enter only what may be most important to a particular employer. So if you’re applying for an accounting position enter only that you studied at an economic technical school and later graduated with a degree in accounting. If, in addition to this, you completed a course to become a tour guide, there is no need to enter this in your resume.
The same is true of the Experience section. If you have been working for many years and have changed jobs many times, then you have a wealth of experience. This fact alone writes you a plus. However, you should also be careful here. Perhaps in your student years you worked during the summer to pick tomatoes. Most likely, this will not interest your boss, unless he dreams of a small bed of tomatoes by his fence. But you can talk about it over coffee during your break. Too much information creates chaos. So enter here too those jobs that create useful experience in your new place. Remember still that too many workplaces can create the impression that you are a disloyal employee. Your future employer makes a simple assumption: Since this person has changed jobs so many times, he surely won’t hesitate to do it again.
Not to embellish, but….
A lie has short legs. Keep this adage in mind when you write that your English is fluent, while they almost didn’t let you take the matriculation exam because of the threat of a failing grade in that subject…. Also, don’t add that you still know Italian, Spanish, Russian, when your knowledge of these languages is limited only to associating the names of beer brands. Also, don’t try to add to your scope of duties with a specific position. Your employer can verify this very easily at an interview. So instead of adding abilities on paper, do it in reality. Go to a course in the field you are interested in, or learn on your own using publications available in libraries and on the Internet.
…. don’t insert trite formulas
I am capable, ambitious, eager to sacrifice, creative, available-you write in your resume in the Skills section. In a word- the best in the world. Like the other two hundred candidates for the position.
Every person is quite a complex personality, and the Polish language is rich enough to convey this complexity. You don’t need to write that you are ambitious if you are applying for a prestigious position. That’s obvious. Instead, you can write that you are able to set clear goals for yourself and others, which you persistently pursue. It sounds similar, but much more specific. The same goes for creativity. What does it really mean? You may be able to create a funny poem on cue, but this will be useful on a team-building trip rather than in the workplace itself. Creativity can manifest itself in many activities. If you think flexibly and for every problem can give several solutions enter: the ability to adapt to any situation, effective problem solving.
Choose a suitable picture.
We know, we know. Aunt Hela’s friend’s fiancé takes fantastic photos. Especially of the wedding. Not like that boring photographer from the photo establishment. Well, how much can you look at your right profile. Oh yes, the photos from your cousin’s wedding are definitely better. But you can be sure that the employer will parry with laughter, consider you unprofessional and move on to the next candidate. In this case, standard proof photos taken at a photo establishment are definitely better.
Take care of the order.
Chaos in your resume will not earn you the label of a solid, orderly employee. So take care of the clear layout of your resume. Form the blocks of information – personal information, education, experience, abilities and interests into clearly separated modules. You can do this simply by using a larger light between successive sections. You can also put the name of the next section on a colored background. Remember, however, that this color should not be too flashy and dull the content. This rule also applies to the choice of fonts and their size. Choose a popular font, available in any word processor. Its typeface must not be too fancy, as it will distract from the content. Times New Roman, which has been used for years, or Calibri, set as the default in the newer version of MS WORD, will work best in this role. If you want to highlight, for example: the name of a section, then use bold, or a larger font. Beware of using many different typefaces, as this creates a sense of clutter. And after all, you don’t want to be taken for a clutterer, do you? Don’t overdo the font size either. A standard 11-12 pt is enough. Such a font is the most comfortable to read. Smaller will make the person reading your resume have to read into it with effort, and this is discouraging. Again, overly large letters give the impression of an attack on the recipient. The same is true of using LARGE letters. It’s like shouting at your employer: Hello, hello here I am!!! There are definitely better ways to get attention.
We want to sum up all these tips with one golden rule. A resume should fit on one page. This way the reader does not get distracted. This is important, because in this way no important information escapes. So try to organize the information, and the layout of your resume, in such a way that it fits within this rule. These basic rules will help you shape your image as a professional and prompt the employer to invite you for an interview.
