How to Write a Great Resume

You are judged for that job before you ever walk in through the door. Your resume is a bigger key to you getting that job before you ever meet anybody. Here are some tips to help fine tune that resume and make it stand head and shoulders above the rest. Once you get in the door the rest is up to you.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Use attention grabbing headlines for previous job positions. For example if you developed software in lets say C++ you just wouldn't write as the headline for that position as "Computer Programmer". You would write C++ Programmer or C++ Engineer.

2. Detail your resume for the position that you are applying for. For example lets say (using our example above) that you develop in both VB.net and C++ but you are more proficient in C++. Now lets say the job wants a VB.net developer for their new Pharma app. You of course have experience in developing apps for the pharma industry. Instead of focusing in on that you are just a VB.net developer, mention that you have developed applications in VB.net (list them) with specifics to the pharma industry.

3. Develop content on your resume that really makes you stand out. Staying with our example if you put down, "developed pharma apps using VB.net", that is too vague and can mean anything. Instead really elaborate on selling yourself. Change that to, "Using VB.net I was responsible for developing the front end of the XYZ application that is used to analyze data for clinical trials". And of course this is only an example, you can go into further detail and more than likely you should. However do not make it like reading a novel. HR Managers are very busy and like to glance through resumes first.

4. Sell yourself to the company you are applying to as to why you can be a benefit to their company. For example, instead of just saying you developed an application, rewrite that to read, "Developed the XYZ application which helped save the Widget Company 20% in expenditures over a 3 year period." So on and so forth. If companies see that you can speed up their process, save them some money or bring new products to market, you are a show in for the job. I know I would hire you.

5. Put your more important information at the top. Like a Google search the top results are read first and each successive result is read by less and less people. The same holds true for your resume. Therefore put all of the important information at the top so HR managers can see that first.