So you want to make a resume. It's fairly easy to find templates, outlines and general suggestions about writing a resume. However, good structure and nice formatting are not enough for an excellent resume that would get you interviewed and hired. You need an edge, you need to grab the reader’s attention and make sure they read your resume all the way through. A well-made yet generic and bland resume won't do that. So how do you make an impressive resume?
Here are some tips for making your resume stand out among the others -
Be bold. You have the skills and knowledge and you need to let the employer
know you've got. State the facts without needless modesty. It might be hard if
you’re a bit shy/introvert (like me), but be sure to find a way to work around
your fears. Your friends might know you're really good at what you do even if
you don't boast about it, but the person reading the resume has to make a
decision based only on the information s/he has on hand, so don’t downplay your
abilities. Make your resume stand out by stating your achievements clearly.
Be specific. Impressive achievements look more reliable if you attach the
actual numbers. Employers prefer to base their decisions on exact data, not
generic statements of success.
Be truthful. When I said to “be bold” I
didn’t mean “exaggerate freely”. Assume that anything you say will be verified
and remain honest when writing the resume. For example, even though I've studied
the German language a few years ago, I haven't had much use for it recently so
my skills have atrophied quite a bit. I might be tempted to list the language on
my resume (when is it going to come up, anyway?) but that would be a bad idea
indeed. Murphy's Law ensures things like that don't pass unnoticed and will get
you in trouble.
An impressive resume is one with an attitude. Don’t start wondering how to make a resume into a captivating novella though. You can’t – it’s not a work of fiction and there’s only so much personalization possible. You have to be subtle about it. Still, if you apply the aforementioned tips and tailor your resume for the particular position you're applying for, your chances of getting the job go up considerably.
This article about making an impressive resume was brought to you by Jay Green, an experienced computer programmer who has researched all kinds of stuff about how to get hired. You can find more tricks and tips on how to make a resume on his website at http://howto-make-a-resume-tips.blogspot.com/
