A resume is a professional document that employers look at as proof of your ability to do the job. Employers will typically spend 15-20 minutes reviewing a resume, so it should be designed with enough precision and detail to catch their attention but also make them quickly move onto the next candidate.
With that said, this article will go into more depth about how to create a professional looking career summary or profile page for your own resume. It will talk about what content to include and how to organize everything. This article will also discuss some common resume templates so you can get ideas from those.
Once done, you will learn several ways to take this summary information and format it professionally using free, easy to use tools. You will also learn how to do all of this in Microsoft Word, one of the most popular word processing software programs out there.
Use consistent formatting
When creating your professional resume, you should use plain and easy-to-understand fonts such as Arial or Helvetica. Make sure they are of good quality so that they look professional!
Avoid using cursive handwriting or fancy fonts because these things may distract recruiters from reading the content of the resume. They might also take longer to read than normal due to writing style.
When including personal information such as education, employment, and activities, make sure to only include relevant details. The more general you can be with those, the better. For example, instead of listing your major as business administration, you could simply list degree received and position held.
Your email address will not be published but it is necessary when asking people to join your job looking board or for other social media services like Facebook. You do not need this detail on your resume unless you are applying directly through their site or service.
Organize it into sections
Now that you have done your research, picked out your career goal and organization, it is time to create your professional resume!
When organizing your resume, use an organizational system or structure that works for you. Some people organize by job position, while others choose chronological order.
Whatever method you decide on, make sure it is easy to understand when someone looks at your resume. Use numbers, bullets, and shapes to organize your information.
Your personal life can be used as part of your professional life so do not feel shy about including things like education, work experiences, and hobbies. However, keep them separate from the rest of your professional life unless they are very relevant.
Avoid using pictures or too much writing beyond necessary statements until you are more confident with your skills.
Personalize it
Even though your resume is mostly made up of formatted documents, there are ways you can personalize it to make it look more unique. Use fonts that match your career area or showcase your skills. Or use bullet points to emphasize key qualities such as leadership abilities or teamwork.
You can also include additional pictures or illustrations to create an eye-catching profile. Make sure to quality control these so they do not contain copyrighted material!
General rules apply when editing and formatting resumes for consistency. For example, make sure to use the same number of lines per page, keep it short and simple, and be careful with using too many bullets.
Update it
It is very important to update your resume every few months. This includes changing up your career paths, skills, and experiences.
If you have been doing the same thing for years, it may be time to reevaluate what things you should include on your resume and how you present yourself.
By keeping your resume up to date, you are telling potential employers that you are interested in developing your career and learning new things.
This also gives you an opportunity to add some additional achievements or positions to showcase your talent.
There are many ways to do this, but the most common way is to start with looking at past resumes and picking and choosing pieces of information that you want to include.
Then, take these components and organize them into something more cohesive and relevant to you. You can then write a summary or intro about why they matter to you and relate them to who you are as a person.
Proofread and edit
After you have completed your job search, your next step is to proofread and edit your resume. This will preferably be done by someone that will give you their honest opinion to make sure everything looks professional and crisp.
They may suggest changing or adding something to make it more interesting for a specific position or to match what they see as important for your career. They can also tell if anything seems overly emotional like bragging or rambling.
After editing, you should both agree on whether it needs to be revised or if it is good enough. If there are any changes needed, take some time to re-write and review.
Practice making different resumes
When you start creating your own resume, do not get stressed out or overwhelmed. Try experimenting with it by doing so from someone else’s resume! There are many free resources available online that can help you design and edit your own career summary or personal statement.
There are also several websites where you can create your own professional profile or CV as a freelance writer, blogger, researcher, etc. You can use their templates or make your own from scratch.
These sites have chat rooms and forums that can help you find the format, style, and tone of voice that work for you. Many allow you to be creative and add your own touches to enhance your message and appeal.
Here are some general tips: remember to keep it short and concise, focus on your skills and achievements, include your daily activities and routines, emphasize past successes, use action verbs, and stay focused on what makes you special.
Link your resume to Facebook
After you have designed and edited your professional profile, it is time to link this account to your resume! As mentioned before, most major social media sites offer a way for you to connect your personal email account.
By linking your accounts, people will be able to see all of your content from both places! This helps your career get more exposure.
It also gives you the opportunity to use your talents to advertise yourself. For example, if you have a very professional looking LinkedIn profile, you can include links to that profile on your own website or other online profiles (such as Google Plus) to help spread your name.
