Exxperientia | May 20,2020
1. You will
write more than one resume, targeting each one at a specific audience:
This is the golden rule
of resume writing. You must tailor each resume for every position that you are
applying for. Each varied position will need a different resume because they
would require slightly different skill sets.
If you have minimal work experience, you’ll
need to highlight different aspects of your job responsibilities to appeal to
each individual hiring manager.
To figure out what skills the hiring manager is
looking for, read the job description they wrote carefully. They list out the
specialized skills you need to perform well. Simply include those specific
skills on your resume (if you have those skills) and you’re set.
You’ll need to get creative with your work
experience and demonstrate how the skills you currently have are transferrable
into an unrelated position. In this way, you can write a tailored resume.
2. You will
write descriptive bullet points that begin with action verbs
Writing in complete sentences will force you to
be descriptive. The worst resumes are filled with boring, bland, 2-4 word
descriptions like, “Wrote reports,” or “Dealt with customers.”
Each sentence should
begin with an action verb, preferably one that best describes your
responsibility. Some action verbs are better than others. For instance, the
verb phrase “Managed 6 employees” is better than “Told 6 employees what to do”.
Here are some other excellent verbs you can
use:
Use Verbs Like These to Start Your Bullet
Points
• Managed
• Trained
• Saved
• Developed
• Created
• Sold
• Arranged
• Prepared
• Assisted
Basically, if it’s a verb and it sounds good,
use it. On the other hand,
Don’t Use These Words to Start Your Bullet
Points
• Pronouns (I, you, we, us)
• Adverbs (Quickly, smartly, intelligently,
efficiently)
• Adjectives (Massive, huge, small, smart,
quick, efficient, intelligent)
3. You will
quantify your resume to the best of your ability, adding numbers to describe
your experience.
Adding numbers to your resume makes them more
descriptive and specific, which will catch the hiring manager’s attention.
Numbers also allow you to show off your achievements and abilities that others
may not have.
The rule of thumb here
is this: if the duty you performed can be described in numbers, do so.
As examples the following show the demarcation
between an unquantified and a quantified description. You could follow a
similar approach to writing a description about any relevant activities
undertaken by you which could include internships, projects, volunteer work
etc.
Example 1: Administrative Assistant
Unquantified
Wrote reports for the direct manager,
summarizing incoming data and suggesting courses of action.
Quantified
Wrote three 1,000-word reports per week for the
direct manager, summarizing incoming data and suggesting courses of action.
Example 2: Manager
Unquantified
Managed and trained new employees to
successfully open a new branch of our office while maintaining company
standards
Quantified
Managed and trained 6 employees, successfully
opening a new branch of our office while maintaining company standards.
Other items that can be quantified include:
• Customer satisfaction ratings
• Number of customers served daily
• The size of the company/establishment
• Total yearly/monthly/daily sales
• How much you outperformed your co-workers by
• How much money you saved the company
Using action verbs and quantifying will make
your resume “Achievement Oriented.”
4. You will
format your resume so that it is aesthetically pleasing and legible.
Follow these 10 simple rules to make an
aesthetically pleasing resume.
The 5 DON’Ts of Resume
Aesthetics:
1. DO NOT use font below size 10
2. DO NOT use crazy font styles
3. DO NOT write a “Wall of Text” (no spacing,
too much text, too much information)
4. DO NOT use bright colors that are difficult
to read
5. DO NOT include images
The 5 DO’S of Resume Aesthetics:
1. DO leave spaces between your work
experiences to make reading easier
2. DO bold your headers
3. DO italicize sub-headers
4. DO create columns to save space and use more
of the page
5. DO use bullet points to list job
descriptions