Things You'll Need:
- resume paper
- computer
-
Step 1
When you send your resume to a business, it may compete with hundreds of others. For a resume to stand out, it must have five qualities.
It must be attractive.
While there is no one format for a successful resume, it should look good on the paper. It must of course be error free. The parts of the document should be balanced on the page in an attractive layout. Obviously a nice format will not get you an interview by itself, but a sloppy appearance can bring a rejection. Write the resume on good quality paper. If you are sending it over the Internet, send it as a PDF file so the format won’t get distorted. -
Step 2
. It must be easy to read.
The human resources person who reads your resume wants to be able to evaluate your qualifications in a glance. Rather than writing a short paragraph telling what you did at your job, make a bulleted list of those activities. Start each item with an active verb. This will make it easier for the interviewer to see what you actually have done. -
Step 3
. It must be persuasive.
What are the qualities you are offering an employer? Are you creative, responsible, competent? Merely to assert that you have such qualities is not persuasive. Anyone can say anything about his creativity or responsibility. To be persuasive, your resume must show what you have done that displays your strengths. Bulleted lists starting with active verbs are much more persuasive that bare assertions.
Trained new employees
Developed new program for cost analysis
Promoted to assistant manager after six months
If you trained new hires, your employer must have considered you competent. Developing a new program shows creativity. If you were promoted after six months, your boss must have considered you to be reliable as well as competent. -
Step 4
It must be concise.
Unless you have a lot of high-level experience in your field, your resume should be limited to one page. There is no need to list summer jobs you had in high school or hobbies that are not related to the job for which you are applying. If your resume is too long, it has a good chance of being rejected. Eliminate the trivial and try to focus on things in your background that are most important in the job. -
Step 5
It must be focused.
Your resume has a better chance of gaining favorable attention if it is focused on the actual job opening. Make sure the objective is consistent with job opening. Look for key words in the notice of the job availability. Use those key words in bulleted lists that show that your experience matches the job opening.
Having a well-formed resume won’t get you the job by itself. You have to have the qualifications the company is looking, but in a tight job market, a poorly set-up resume will get even a well-qualified applicant rejected.
