In order to get the job you want you need to grab the attention of every employer. You need to create a resume that stands out, provides a well-organized and succinct snapshot of your experience and successes and convinces employers to make time in their schedules to interview you. Following a few select guidelines can turn a dull resume into one that shines.
Step 1
Write your cover letter with organized, brief and professional language. Give the employer a quick synopsis of who you are and why you are the best candidate for the job. Make sure to include some facts about the company in your cover letter, making it apparent that you have researched them, which shows how passionate you are about working there.
Step 2
Create a customized cover letter and resume for each specific company or industry. Do not just use a generic resume to send out en masse. You need to show the employer why your background and education is a good fit for his company.
Step 3
Type with a consistent font. Do not use a font that is smaller than 10-point.
Step 4
Make sure to ask at least one other person to proof your spelling and grammar. Sending a resume that contains basic grammar or spelling errors is a quick way to have your resume end up in the trash can.
Step 5
Print your resume on clean, high-quality, unwrinkled paper. If you send an employer a resume that looks like you found some scrap paper behind your bookshelf, you will be sending the message that you really do not want the job as much as the other candidates applying.
Step 6
State a professional objective that is no more than two sentences, uses keywords specific to the industry and demonstrate how you wish to use your skills to be an asset to the company and its customers.
Step 7
Include a highlights section after your objective. This section should list five to ten things that are your biggest successes or highlights in your educational and professional experience. This is the section that will grab the attention of the employer and encourage him to continue reviewing the remainder of your resume.
Step 8
Keep your resume to one page in most cases. Unless you have been working in a specific field for many years and have authored papers or books, employers do not expect you to have a long resume. Limiting your resume to only the key points and successes in your career will help you limit the length. This way you can trade quantity for quality.
Step 9
Organize your job history in reverse chronological order, listing your most recent job first. Only name a few of the key job responsibilities for each position and primarily focus on any successes with the employers. Type the successes as percent improvements when possible, such as "Increased sales by 20 percent in first year." Do not include jobs that are unrelated to the job you are applying for, unless you can show how the experience will directly impact the new position.
Tips and Warnings
- Keep resume to one page if at all possible. Look at job descriptions before typing your resume, and customize your resume to match.
- Never lie or exaggerate your education or experience.
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