Professionally Written Resume Outlines Increase Your Chances of Being Hired
Why do resume outlines increase your chances of being hired? They guide you through the resume-writing process so that you create a professionally-written resume. It is a competitive job market and the only way you are going to be noticed by employers is to provide them with your credentials in a stellar resume format.
Below are the different sections of a resume outline along with a description of what should be included in that section.
Heading/Contact Information
This resume heading section contains information about who you are and how the employer can reach you for an interview. This should be clear and easy to see.
What do you list here? Include your name, usually in bold print, and your contact information. This is usually your address, phone number(s), email address and your web address if it is pertinent to the position.
Your objective should focus on the position you are seeking with a particular company. Focus on what you can do for the employer, not on what you expect them to do for you. Be concise. Sell yourself subtly showing how your skills will assist the employer.
Education Section
Include colleges/universities where a degree has been conferred on you or are where you are working to get a degree. List the name of your degree (no abbreviations, please) and/or certification that you have obtained, or will obtain, the month and year of your graduation, and your major and minor(s). If you receive education-related awards, list them in this section (such as Magna Cum Laude or Summa Cum Laude, etc.) If you have received any specific school-related awards, they need to be listed in the Other section. If you have not completed your degree, list the dates you attended school.
If you do not have any college experience, list your high school information.
Work Experience
List your job title, the name of the organization you worked for and the dates of your employment. Below this, detail your skills and accomplishments. Write clearly and use words that command attention, such as: operated, created, ensured, maintained, managed, provided, and so on. List the activities and responsibilities that most closely match the prospective employer’s needs first.
Volunteer work should be listed in another section unless it is pertinent to the position you are applying for. Resume outlines increase your chances of being hired, but you have to follow the guidelines very carefully. Employers must know where to find the information they are seeking (right away) or they will give up and stop looking at your resume. If that happens, you do not stand a chance of being interviewed.
Next,
Honors/Activities/Achievements/Publications
You may have something that fits into one of the categories listed above or you may not. If you do, identify which word best fits to match your skills.
There are many additional sections you may consider using. One or two should be enough. Just be careful not to use so many that it waters down the focus of the resume. There are a lot of activities/achievements that don’t fit the bill and are not worth mentioning on most resumes.
Other Sections
According to your background, there may be other sections, which you will want to add to your resume. These sections could include:
-Computer Skills/Certifications
-Community Service
-Foreign Language Skills
-Professional Memberships
-Volunteer Work
Use them if they fit with your goals and/or the position you are seeking. Omit anything that does not specifically lead you to your career goals.
There is no question that resume outlines increase your chances of being hired. They offer the basic structure or framework around which you can build your own resume. Make the most of your job search opportunities by crafting an excellent resume. You’ll be glad you did.
If you want to make the job of writing a resume even easier, there is a way. It takes the process above and breaks it down even further into smaller, easy-to-follow steps. Sounds good, doesn’t it?