How to Prepare Your Resume for an Online Job Search

Preparing an impressive and interesting resume is a crucial task, since the resume is your first chance to make an impression with your prospective employer. The resume should be extraordinary in both facts and layout. It should impress the reader at once with its outstanding characteristics. A resume must contain your full name, contact details, educational qualifications and any relevant experience. Here’s how to prepare your resume for an online job search.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Write a Resume

1. Assess your strong points. Be honest in listing your strengths.

2. Provide your full name and contact information on top of the resume. The information that you give must be accurate. Always add an alternate email address, if any, in the contact details.
   

3. State your objective in precise words. For example, it could be to utilize your skills in information technology.

4. Give complete information about your educational background. It should show your skills in a particular field. The degree you last obtained should be mentioned first.

5. Cite your work experience, if any. Use action verbs to describe your current or past job responsibilities. Name the organization you worked for along with the relevant dates.

6. Note the specific skills that you have acquired from your professional experience that may be useful in the job you seek.

7. Write about your achievements and extracurricular activities, and any prizes you have won.

8. Provide references, if needed. These can be the names of your previous employers or your top contacts in the same field.

9. Browse through Web sites and other sources that provide guidance on creating a resume. Job portals such as Monster and Dice offer additional resources on creating a good resume.

Formatting Your Resume

10. Create your resume in a format that is easily readable. Use standard fonts that are simple and easy to read, such as Arial, Helvetica, Futura, Verdana and Times New Roman.

11. Use font sizes ranging between 10 to 12 points.

12. Justify the entire resume on the right and left.

13. Provide enough space between headings to make the resume look uncluttered and organized.

Tips & Warnings

• Give an email contact that sounds professional.
• Before giving the name of someone as reference, always get his or her permission.
• An ideal resume should not be more than two pages.
• Spell-check the entire resume carefully. Your resume should be error-free. Any small mistake can create a negative impact on your job prospects.
• Do not use more than two typefaces in the resume.
• Avoid using italics and underlined words.
• Do not use colors in the resume.