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15 Resume Writing Tips

Well, now that a hint of optimism is returning to the Irish economy many people may be feeling more confident about the prospects of seeking a new job and advancing their career. Next step the dreaded C.V.

Most if not all people are intimidated when it comes to writing their own resume.  How do I make myself appear to have achieved more than I actually have ?  Should it be long or short ?, what’s the best approach ?.  These are just a few of the initial thoughts that cross the mind of your average person.  Well to assist you here are 15 tips to help you along the way towards constructing a winning C.V.

1. Determine your objective
Once you have chosen a prospective job opportunity think of it as bulls-eye, which you are aiming for.  Determine a clear objective in mind and construct your C.V. with a focus that makes it clear, readable and an attractive candidate for short listing.

2. Market yourself
Job-hunting will involve competition from others and there can in the end be only one winner.  Be sure to promote your strengths, and the benefits you will bring to the company that employs you.  Outline why they must see you as the best choice over and above the competition.

3. First things first
Remember that the purpose of a resume is not to get you a job but an interview.  How many people get job offers on the strength of their C.V. alone ?  There is no need to produce a fully detailed account of all of your achievements.  This can be done at the interview stage.  The objective of good C.V writing is to is to wet the appetite of prospective interviewers into wanting to meet with you.

4. Space and clarity
Like it or not your resume will be scanned rather than read, at least initially.  Prospective interviewers are busy with possible many C.Vs to ‘read’.  The clearer you can put your points across the better.  Use bulleted sentences and space for ease of reading.

5. Exploding attractions
Fascinating results can be achieved with the use of action words.  Project the image of a go getter with words that propel your achievements. Words as, developed, monitored and presented are just a few.

6. Use visual clues
We are not all speed readers so for maximum impact and drawing power use symbols such as € or % instead of the represented words.  An advertiser will always display ‘50% off’ instead of ‘fifty percent off’.

7. Best feet forward
Since most resumes are scanned quickly make sure that the most relevant points appear early on in your document.  If the right note is not set initially the reader is becoming more disinterested as they flick through your pages.

8. Compliments can work
Compliment the vacancy advertised by mirroring the words used in your C.V..  Self Starter, motivated, organised,  computer literate may be common but you get the idea.

9. Get into the BUZZ

If there are terms that show your competence in a particular field use then.  Materials people might use ERP, MRP, Vendor analysis etc

10. Irrelevant is in the bin
Don’t clutter your C.V. with information that is not important to the job at hand.  Focus and highlight only the achievements that mirror the opportunity at hand. Obvious space wasting is: detailing you height and weight.

11. Show you know
Rather than going into great detail in one are use your C.V. to highlight the breadth of knowledge you possess.  Details can be covered at the interview stage.

12. Connect the dots
If you reported directly to an important person previously , point this out in your resume.  The reader can infer you are important if you were reporting directly to an important person.

13. Easy read, easy said
Although paper is cheap, you don’t need to overburden your reader with pages of hard to comprehend facts and figures.  A resume should be no more than 3 pages in length, clear, concise and legible.

14. What do you think ?
When you feel you have it complete ask a trusted friend or colleague to review your resume, bearing in mind your objectives.  This will often help identify points you’ve missed and highlight any changes that may need to me made.

15. Lessen the odds
The most perfect of resumes are useless if left in the drawer.  Start applying for jobs to-day. Like many things it will take longer than you think.  Aim for three different opportunity sectors. 

1. jobs you feel are below you. They may be better than actually advertised
2. jobs you feel are just right.  Gives you an opportunity to gain valuable insight into the market
3. jobs that you feel may be a little out of reach.  Why not ? that how you grow and perhaps you might be surprised.

Happy hunting……