10 Tips You Should Know About Writing Your First Resume

A resume can mean the difference between getting a job or not. It shows a lot about the applicant. Here are 10 tips on how to write a topnotch resume.  

1. Use a professional font

Remember that hiring managers receive hundreds or even thousands of applications and do not have a lot of time for going through each application in details. This is why you should ensure that your resume is very clear and easy to read. Use a basic font such as Times New Roman, Arial, or Calibri. Ensure that your font size is between 10 and 11 points. Choosing a readable font as it will make your document look professional. You can add the number as a way of showing employers your accomplishments.

1. Make sure it is grammatically correct

One of the worst mistakes that you will ever make is to submit a CV with grammatical errors. This is the easiest way of disqualifying yourself. Take time to edit your document. In fact, it should go through several rounds of proofreading if you will submit a document with no grammatical errors. You can ask a professional to “fix my resume," or you can use editing software. The CV should be observed by an objective person who may give some advice.

1. Use keywords from the job description to describe your experience

One of the tips for writing a resume is the usage of relevant keywords in your CV. This is important as many employers use keywords to find candidates who are suitable for the position. This is why job seekers should make their resume using the terminologies used in the job advertisement. They can then use those terminologies to describe their experience. For instance, if you are searching for a job as maintenance technicians, and the employer has advertised for the role of a janitor, change your CV to show that you have experience in the position of a janitor.

1. Do not include irrelevant experience

One of the most common mistakes that job seekers make is to include irrelevant experience in their CVs. If something is over 10 years old, do not include it unless it is very relevant to the position you are applying or is an indication of your career progression.  While you may be tempted to show off your extensive educational or work experience, you need to ensure that your first resume remains brief.  According to a 2018 study, managers prefer a resume that has a maximum of 2 pages. Therefore, including extra information will only distract hiring managers.

1. Use active voice

Use an active voice when writing your CV. Make use of power words such as “accomplished,” “completed,” and “earned.” If you are finding your CV to be too long, make your ideas concise.  Look for ways to highlight the same achievements using the minimum number of words. This way, the document will be to the point.

1. Highlight your achievement

Instead of just listing your duties under the experience part, choose your top 3 or 4 most essential achievement in every role you held. Where possible, make use of numbers to show your achievement. Alternatively, you can include a section labeled “achievements” to highlight your qualification in education, work, or even other areas of life.

1. Use hobbies to show your experience

In many CVs, there is a section at the bottom where jobseekers show what they enjoy doing in their free time.  Job seekers should use this part to show their personality rather than the activities they engage in for fun. If they take the time to volunteer or engage in other important activities in their life, they should take time to describe it and say why they have the motivation to spend time in the activity. The goal should be to show the employer their personality. This is important as studies are showing that employers use soft skills to hire.

1. Choose the right margins

Use a one-inch margin size on the different sides of the CV, while the single spacing between lines. In case there is a lot of white space, job seekers might want to space the lines at 1.5. If filing the resume is proving to be a challenge, they can also increase margins. But they should always ensure that they remain below 2 inches.

1. Tailor-make your resume for each job

A common mistake that job seekers make is to use one resume for different job applications. Before you can submit it, you need to ask yourself if you have made it possible for the employer to consider you as qualified. If the job you are applying has some unique requirements, you may want to tailor-make a resume that will show your qualifications.  However, this should be done on a case by case basis. While writing a custom CV for every job requires a lot of effort, this can pay handsomely, particularly when you are applying for jobs that are a perfect match for your skills. The extra time spent will pay off in the form of more interviews.

1. Include contact information with the caveat

Do not forget to include all your contact information so that an employer to get in touch with you. Include details such as full name, address, city, zip code, street name, email address, and phone number. In case you already have a professional website or Linkedin profile, you can include their links. There are certain circumstances when you may not want to include all your mailing address. But generally, having these details is a good idea. Conclusion Before you even begin writing your resume, look at samples that fit different employment solutions. The templates can provide you with different formats for different jobs.  Using these templates as a starting point can enable you to customize your CV to fit your needs. Just add information to a resume template before tweaking it to highlight your abilities and skills. Therefore, templates can prove helpful in writing a great resume.